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Greater Manchester Police confirm "new and evolving" close pass operation trial

Police in Manchester are currently trialling successful West Midlands operation before deciding whether to roll it out, but campaigners warn to be effective it must be well-resourced

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are the latest to confirm they are road testing a close pass operation, with drivers who overtake a cyclist too close facing three points and a £100 fine. Police, who describe the operation as "new and evolving", are holding a public engagement event in the Trafford Centre this weekend.

GMP confirmed to road.cc they have completed three test days at different locations within Greater Manchester, and have advised two close passing motorists, who were pulled over. A further driver did not stop and police are looking to track them down.

Several police forces are now looking to roll out the operation, which was pioneered by West Midlands Police last year to crack down on close overtaking, where drivers leave less than 1.5m between their vehicle and a cyclist. However, Manchester cycle campaigners and the city’s cycling csar say the operation needs to be as good as the West Midlands model to be effective.

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Inspector Paul Rowe, from the GMP Serious Collision Investigation Unit, told road.cc: “We have completed three test days for the operation at three different locations.

“We have advised two motorists who were brought into the site. Enquiries into the another one we did not stop are continuing.”

By comparison, over four test days last year West Midlands Police pulled over 80 drivers ahead of the operation’s integration into regular, ongoing police work that has seen close pass reporting by cyclists halved.

Insp Rowe did not give details of how the operation did work, but said the GMP operation, which is part of Operation Considerate, differs from the West Midlands in that officers are carrying out a full vehicle check at the roadside, and they are not using an education mat to illustrate safe passing distances. Drivers passing too close to cyclists could face three licence points and a £100 fine, according to a tweet by Greater Manchester Police.

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Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign spokesperson, Nick Hubble, told road.cc the group has raised the issue of close passing with traffic officers since 2014 and they are pleased to see action being taken. However, the quality of the operation is key to its success, he says.

“In order to have the desired effect on driver behaviour these new operations must be as good as the original WMP initiative,” said Hubble, “so we'd like to take this opportunity to repeat our offer of further dialogue with GMP Traffic officers.

“By working together and incorporating views and feedback from people who regularly cycle, we hope to ensure that these operations have consistently effective actions and messaging.”

Council Cycling Csar, Councillor Chris Paul, says a “separate, properly resourced close pass initiative” is needed. Operation Considerate is aimed at encouraging “all road users to show each other consideration”. He warned against victim blaming, following news stories citing police statistics that cyclists undertaking motor traffic were involved in 11 collisions per year in the city.

This Saturday and Sunday 11 and 12 February, police will hold a ‘safe pass’ public engagement and education event at the Trafford Centre, on Lower Peel Avenue, with Transport for Greater Manchester, the British Horse Society and Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign. They will provide training and maintenance awareness information, and advice to drivers on overtaking horse riders and cyclists.

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Insp Rowe says police are working with cycle trainers to assist in ‘exchanging places’ lorry safety events and offer free cycle training and maintenance advice.

He said this is a new and evolving initiative within the Greater Manchester area, and they are still investigating the health and safety implications of the operation.

He said: “The Health and Safety issue is not just simply checking the cycle and road, it also involves the Health and Safety at work act which is far more stringent and places liabilities on the employer.”

“We are fully committed to assisting our stake holder partners in achieving the promotion of safer cycling and horse riding in the Greater Manchester Area,” he said.

GMCC say they believe a new online reporting system is also being developed by police, which they believe will help improve cycling conditions on city roads.

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4 comments

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Boodajuda | 7 years ago
0 likes

Hardly a scoop this has been common knowledge on Twitter for a while.  It's a pilot and the handlebar Policing experts are wading in already.

Nice to see Chris Paul sticking his nose in. He hates the police and has clearly had nothing to do with this and that's why he can't be positive - because he can't claim the credit. Never heard him campaigning for more traffic officers to help with stuff like this.

From what I've seen (on the street)  GMP are putting more time and effort into this than WMP, yet Chris and Hubble moaning GMCC bad mouthing as usual.

A step in the right direction from GMP.  Well done for learning from WMP so quickly.  Let's look forward to more.

Avatar
Ants | 7 years ago
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Even acknowledging this is an issue is a start. My experience with Derbyshire police when I reported a very close pass (with video evidence) by a quarry truck, was that I should have slowed down to let them pass. They didn't even want to see the footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7FSJrmw3i4

So even having a police force that accept this is worth doing something about is a start. £100 fine is not going to deter anyone though. Make it £1000 and people may think twice.

Avatar
Peowpeowpeowlasers | 7 years ago
5 likes

About time.  However, my interactions with GMP have demonstrated a good amount of ignorance at what is expected of motorists when dealing with cyclists.  Comments ranging from "why didn't you just get out of his way" in response to someone angrily tailgating and beeping at me, to "why were you speeding up the inside to the lights" when using a cycle filter lane to get to the box.

Perhaps GMP should employ more officers on bikes.  That way, they might have more understanding of what it's like to cycle on the roads.

Avatar
ktache | 7 years ago
2 likes

It's a start I suppose, seems a bit half hearted.  Part of the glory of the WMP innitiative was the enthusiasm of it's team, particuly PC Mark Hodson, I believe, which because of the resulting media coverage, amplyfies exponentially any effect of a few days of enforcement and education.

 And what about all of the "distracted" driving that they must have noticed, and gathered evidence of, which apart from giving their superiors more reasons for continuing the initiative, is something that very much poses a risk to all road users.

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