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Whats Happening in Your Area?
The Whitnash Safer Neighbourhood Team has been working on three main areas in the last month, as well as their usual activities in the prevention and detection of crime.
Anti-Social Behaviour
There have been reports of Anti-Social Behaviour on the Recreation Grounds at Acre Close and Washbourne Field. This has been causing alarm, harassment and distress to the local inhabitants. These problems have been ongoing for some time now with individuals causing damage to the facilities in the grounds and noise pollution with shouting and screaming. There has also been a lot of litter and broken glass left lying around, especially on Acre Close. This problem has exacerbated recently with a number of youths coming into the area from outside Whitnash.
Police Action:
We have stepped up patrols in the hotspot areas and have had Acre Close and Washbourne Field added to the Friday and Saturday night shift briefing list for regular attendance and patrols. In addition, we have managed to acquire the assistance of the Leamington South Safer Neighbourhood Team who will be patrolling Whitnash Town in addition to their own duties in Leamington Old Town and Sydenham with both Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers.
Anti-Social Behaviour
There have been reports of Anti-Social Behaviour on the Recreation Grounds at Acre Close and Washbourne Field. This has been causing alarm, harassment and distress to the local inhabitants. These problems have been ongoing for some time now with individuals causing damage to the facilities in the grounds and noise pollution with shouting and screaming. There has also been a lot of litter and broken glass left lying around, especially on Acre Close. This problem has exacerbated recently with a number of youths coming into the area from outside Whitnash.
Police Action:
We have stepped up patrols in the hotspot areas and have had Acre Close and Washbourne Field added to the Friday and Saturday night shift briefing list for regular attendance and patrols. In addition, we have managed to acquire the assistance of the Leamington South Safer Neighbourhood Team who will be patrolling Whitnash Town in addition to their own duties in Leamington Old Town and Sydenham with both Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers.
This has recently become a problem throughout the entirety of the SNT area. These incidents range from someone breaking a boundary fence to broken windows at the Community Hall and someone ripping up the soft flooring in the childrens play area at Acre Close Rec.
Police Action:
We are currently investigating several incidents of damage. However because the incidents are sporadic and follow no particular pattern it is difficult to patrol in the right areas at the right time. Hopefully though, because of the assistance lent to us by the Leam. South Team this will become easier. We are working with other agencies, namely the Youth Offending Team and Probation Service, to arrange for the removal of graffiti from public areas to make them a more pleasant place to be.
Parking Problems on Coppice Road.
This has been a major problem in the area for quite some time causing considerable annoyance to parents, staff and local residents alike. This issue revolves mainly around parents and visitors to the school parking illegally on Coppice Road and the surrounding roads of Moorhill Road, Cypress Lane and Morse Road.
Police Action:
Because of the safety aspect of this all motorists are warned that we will be taking a Zero Tolerance view of illegal parking in this area during school arrival and leaving times. Anyone parking on double yellow lines, single yellow lines, zig-zag lines or on junctions will be liable to face a fixed penalty notice of a minimum of £30.
Operation Prague - TISPOL Seatbelt Campaign
Take a look at the statistics for yourself it makes sense wear a seat belt it is against the law not to!
Lives lost
· Car occupants form 65% of all road casualties.
· In 2005, 178,302 people were killed or injured while travelling in cars. Of these, 157,331 were drivers or front seat passengers.
Road Casualties Great Britain: 2005 Annual Report
Not belting up
· Despite continued advertising about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt, a core 7% of car drivers still fail to belt up.
· Women (96%) are more conscientious than men (90%) at belting up in the front.
· Around a third of adults don't bother to belt up in the back.
Transport Research Laboratory Survey of Car Occupant Restraint, April 2004 Great Britain car & van seat belt wearing - percentage rates (October 2006)
(main offending groups in red)
Car Drivers93 Car FrontSeatPassengers95 Car Rear SeatAdults(14+)65 Car RearSeatChildren(<13)94 Car RearSeat All84 VanDrivers69 VanFront SeatPassengers58
Vans etc
The exemption from wearing seat belts for van and goods vehicle users was originally intended for those engaged in house-to-house type operations where it would have been unreasonable to expect a seat belt to be worn over such short distances. However, over the years drivers and passengers have come to believe that it applies to deliveries or collections over any distance.
The legislation dictates that the users of vans and goods vehicles must use their seat belts, where they are fitted, if they travel more than 50 metres between stops for the purpose of delivering or collecting anything.
If the current low seat belt wearing rates for van drivers and their passengers can be brought up to the levels of seat belt wearing seen in cars, then the casualty savings will be up to 20 lives, 240 serious injuries and 1,000 slight injuries annually.
What are the seat belt wearing rules in mini-buses, buses and coaches?
· Seat belt wearing is already compulsory in minibuses under 2.54 tonnes unladen weight. If available, an appropriate child seat must be used in these vehicles but there is no obligation on anyone to provide them. Note the obligation to notify passengers that seat belt wearing is compulsory - see below.
· Seated passengers aged 14 years and above must use seat belts where they are fitted in all buses and coaches. Children up to 13 years should use a child car seat if one is available and suitable. If there is no suitable child car seat they should use the belt provided. The operator is not required to provide a suitable child seat.
· Vehicle operators must notify passengers of the legal requirement to use seat belts. The regulations require notification by any of:
o (a) an official announcement, or an audio-visual presentation, made when the passenger joins the bus or within a reasonable time of his doing so;
o (b) a sign prominently displayed at each passenger seat equipped with a seat belt.
o An "official announcement" means one by the driver, by a conductor or courier or by a group leader of any passengers on the vehicle.
o A sign that takes the form of a pictorial symbol must be in the agreed form depicting a white figure on a blue background.
o There is nothing in law to prevent child restraints being used if they fit in a bus or coach. However, these vehicles may only have lap belts and most child seats need lap and diagonal belts in order to be secured. In addition, the seats in these vehicles may be the wrong proportions for child restraints.
There are a number of issues that affect bus and coach operators. The Regulations apply to all buses (including minibuses) and coaches having more than eight passenger seats - up until now the requirements for passengers to use rear seat belts where fitted has only applied in UK legislation in vehicles up to 2.54 tonnes unladen weight.
The Regulations require seated rear passengers aged 14 years and above in a bus or coach to use a seat belt if one is installed. Earlier regulations already require drivers of any vehicle, including buses and coaches (and front passengers seated parallel to the driver) to use seat belts where fitted.
Children in P.C.V.s
The regulations now require that children under 3 years in a front seat (i.e. parallel to the driver) must use a baby seat/child seat. The adult belt will not do. Those 3 years and over must use an adult seat belt, or, if it is available for those under 135 cms in height, a child seat, booster seat, booster cushion as appropriate. The driver is responsible for making sure that children under 14 years of age in these seats use seat belts/child seats as required.
The Regulations also require that operators of buses and coaches where seat belts are fitted must take reasonable steps to notify passengers of the need to use seat belts by one or more of the following means-
(a) an official announcement, or an audio-visual presentation, made when the passenger joins the bus or within a reasonable time of his doing so;
(b) a sign prominently displayed at each passenger seat equipped with a seat belt.
An "official announcement" means an announcement by the driver of the bus, by a conductor or courier or by a person who is a group leader in relation to any group of persons who are passengers on the bus.
· Despite continued advertising about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt, a core 7% of car drivers still fail to belt up.
· Women (96%) are more conscientious than men (90%) at belting up in the front.
· Around a third of adults don't bother to belt up in the back.
Transport Research Laboratory Survey of Car Occupant Restraint, April 2004 Great Britain car & van seat belt wearing - percentage rates (October 2006)
(main offending groups in red)
Car Drivers93 Car FrontSeatPassengers95 Car Rear SeatAdults(14+)65 Car RearSeatChildren(<13)94 Car RearSeat All84 VanDrivers69 VanFront SeatPassengers58
Vans etc
The exemption from wearing seat belts for van and goods vehicle users was originally intended for those engaged in house-to-house type operations where it would have been unreasonable to expect a seat belt to be worn over such short distances. However, over the years drivers and passengers have come to believe that it applies to deliveries or collections over any distance.
The legislation dictates that the users of vans and goods vehicles must use their seat belts, where they are fitted, if they travel more than 50 metres between stops for the purpose of delivering or collecting anything.
If the current low seat belt wearing rates for van drivers and their passengers can be brought up to the levels of seat belt wearing seen in cars, then the casualty savings will be up to 20 lives, 240 serious injuries and 1,000 slight injuries annually.
What are the seat belt wearing rules in mini-buses, buses and coaches?
· Seat belt wearing is already compulsory in minibuses under 2.54 tonnes unladen weight. If available, an appropriate child seat must be used in these vehicles but there is no obligation on anyone to provide them. Note the obligation to notify passengers that seat belt wearing is compulsory - see below.
· Seated passengers aged 14 years and above must use seat belts where they are fitted in all buses and coaches. Children up to 13 years should use a child car seat if one is available and suitable. If there is no suitable child car seat they should use the belt provided. The operator is not required to provide a suitable child seat.
· Vehicle operators must notify passengers of the legal requirement to use seat belts. The regulations require notification by any of:
o (a) an official announcement, or an audio-visual presentation, made when the passenger joins the bus or within a reasonable time of his doing so;
o (b) a sign prominently displayed at each passenger seat equipped with a seat belt.
o An "official announcement" means one by the driver, by a conductor or courier or by a group leader of any passengers on the vehicle.
o A sign that takes the form of a pictorial symbol must be in the agreed form depicting a white figure on a blue background.
o There is nothing in law to prevent child restraints being used if they fit in a bus or coach. However, these vehicles may only have lap belts and most child seats need lap and diagonal belts in order to be secured. In addition, the seats in these vehicles may be the wrong proportions for child restraints.
There are a number of issues that affect bus and coach operators. The Regulations apply to all buses (including minibuses) and coaches having more than eight passenger seats - up until now the requirements for passengers to use rear seat belts where fitted has only applied in UK legislation in vehicles up to 2.54 tonnes unladen weight.
The Regulations require seated rear passengers aged 14 years and above in a bus or coach to use a seat belt if one is installed. Earlier regulations already require drivers of any vehicle, including buses and coaches (and front passengers seated parallel to the driver) to use seat belts where fitted.
Children in P.C.V.s
The regulations now require that children under 3 years in a front seat (i.e. parallel to the driver) must use a baby seat/child seat. The adult belt will not do. Those 3 years and over must use an adult seat belt, or, if it is available for those under 135 cms in height, a child seat, booster seat, booster cushion as appropriate. The driver is responsible for making sure that children under 14 years of age in these seats use seat belts/child seats as required.
The Regulations also require that operators of buses and coaches where seat belts are fitted must take reasonable steps to notify passengers of the need to use seat belts by one or more of the following means-
(a) an official announcement, or an audio-visual presentation, made when the passenger joins the bus or within a reasonable time of his doing so;
(b) a sign prominently displayed at each passenger seat equipped with a seat belt.
An "official announcement" means an announcement by the driver of the bus, by a conductor or courier or by a person who is a group leader in relation to any group of persons who are passengers on the bus.
More Officers on Patrol
It has been agreed this month that the Leamington South Safer Neighbourhood Team will be assisting the local officers in both hotspot and routine patrols in the area. The Team, consisting of 5 PCSOs, 5 PCs and a Sergeant will be conducting the patrols in addition to their own duties in Leamington Old Town and Sydenham. The move has been welcomed by the Mayor of Whitnash, Coun. David Clough said: “I agree with this. I have been out with the police and that enabled me to see a different side to what they do.” The extra officers will also be available to provide cover for holidays, sick leave and weekends as well as the patrols. The new situation means that although Leamington officers will be covering the area, Whitnash officers will not be called to look after the Brunswick ward unless there is a joint issue or emergency.
