According to a new report to Cambridge City Council's west central area committee, road safety work carried out by police community support officers (PCSOs) in the last three months has had a heavy focus on cyclists. As well as tackling speeding drivers, cyclists jumping red lights and students cycling without lights have been the subject of attention.
Sergeant Ian Wood, of the city's neighbourhood policing team, told Cambridge News that the police also wanted to ensure cyclists were riding safely in other ways.
“As well as this, the city centre PCSOs have been working to ensure that people are cycling in the right direction and in an appropriate manner on the streets within the historic city centre.”
In addition to the focus on cycling, speed checks have been carried out across the city and police are now looking to recruit volunteers for a new SpeedWatch scheme. The purpose of SpeedWatch is to educate motorists and monitor speeding in neighbourhoods where it has been identified as a problem.
SpeedWatch volunteers are given high vis jackets and then conduct speed checks using speed indicator devices. The registered owner of any vehicle seen speeding will be sent an advisory letter from their local neighbourhood policing team, explaining that speeding is unacceptable.
Motorists cannot be prosecuted through this scheme. Persistent offenders will receive a visit from officers
14 thoughts on “Cambridge PCSOs ensure people are cycling in the right direction and in an appropriate manner”
are the PCSO also targeting
are the PCSO also targeting motorists using hand-held cell phones?
Or does this require the full powers of a Police Constable, in order to issue the fixed penalty notice and 3 points to the driving license, of what is a criminal offence?
hampstead_bandit wrote:are
A PCSO can issue a ticket for that, bit of a mystery as to why they haven’t been used to enforce it more as it’s like catching fish in a barrel. The most well known problem which they can’t enforce is cars entering the ASL box, which does require a PC.
@bikebot
I was aware about
@bikebot
I was aware about the ASL which actually has to be “witnessed” by a PC, which is why so few motorists seem to be caught
thanks for the info about the PCSO being able to catch cell phone drivers
hampstead_bandit
And whenever there’s been a suggestion of changing that, or allowing them to be enforced in the same manner as boxed junctions, guess which organisation is the most vociferous in opposing it.
The LTDA.
bikebot
And whenever there’s been a suggestion of changing that, or allowing them to be enforced in the same manner as boxed junctions, guess which organisation is the most vociferous in opposing it.
The LTDA.— hampstead_bandit
Now there’s a surprise…
The few PCSOs I’ve seen in
The few PCSOs I’ve seen in Cambridge have been totally farking useless. They were fat as well so had no hope of chasing after and catching any crims. The only thing they appeared to be good at was eating pies. What a total waste of time and money.
Sorry, but I’m fairly sure a
Sorry, but I’m fairly sure a PCSO can’t give an endorsable ticket under the road traffic act or even stop the car. They have a lot of conditions attached to what they can and can’t do.
Finndog wrote:Sorry, but I’m
Depends on which Police area you fall under. The law allows it in certain situations, individual forces have different operational policies. A PCSO can never stop a car, but you don’t need to be in a moving car to receive an endorsable fine. Parking on zig zags is a common one, which PCSOs are used for in some areas.
I can’t see a reason why a PCSO stationed at a junction, shouldn’t be able to issue an endorsable ticket to drivers using their phone after they stop at a red light.
bikebot wrote:Finndog
Have I got this right the ticket has to be issued there & then (to the driver) for mobile phone use? Is the PCSO not allowed to report it (as a relieable witness) and a FPN be sent through the post.
FATBEGGARONABIKE
Have I got this right the ticket has to be issued there & then (to the driver) for mobile phone use? Is the PCSO not allowed to report it (as a relieable witness) and a FPN be sent through the post.— Finndog
Would they have to issue the ticket before the lights changed to green or can they detain a stationary car?
Does that equally mean a PCSO can’t stop a moving cyclist either?
bikebot wrote:A PCSO can
I think they might be able to stop all road users in the Thames Valley. They have the powers of Traffic Wardens and rule 105 of the highway code says you MUST obey their signals, including to stop. See page 2 on this http://thamesvalley.police.uk/pub-joinus-guide-to-powers-pcso.pdf
atgni wrote:bikebot wrote:A
Interestingly, PCSOs in Thames Valley have:
– Power to seize vehicles used to cause alarm
– Power to require a person to wait for 30 minutes
I.e. if they started applying the ’cause alarm’ criteria to dangerous driving / punishment passes, they could legally seize the vehicle! Also, they could simply require that anyone caught in an ASL or on the phone wait 30 minutes…
So, quite a few things can be done to effectively delay and annoy drivers who misbehave.
No news here. Sounds like a
No news here. Sounds like a good scheme.
More accurately: “Cambridge
More accurately: “Cambridge PCSOs do a little light enforcement so that it can be put in a report and pointed at when the usual moaners go “BUT YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING ABOUT CYCLISTS””