Website at https://choosemypcc.org.uk/area/avon-and-somerset

Walk Ride Bath has emailed each candidate: Mark Shelford; Katy Grant; Clare Moody; Allen Benet as follows:

Walk Ride Bath, a campaign group focused on walking, wheeling, and cycling road safety, is asking yourself and each Police Crime Commissioner candidate a set of questions. The response will be published on our website at https://walkridebath.org.uk:

As Police Crime Commissioner, as part of a road danger reduction initiative, would you commit Avon and Somerset Police to work with Highways Authorities to create safer streets for walking, wheeling, and cycling by supporting the delivery of:

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods 
A best in class, cheap, road safety intervention, removing dangerous through traffic from unclassified roads with numerous secondary benefits, including a reduction in reported crime.

School Streets
Temporary restrictions on motorised traffic at every primary and secondary school during drop-off and pick-up times. School Streets significantly reduce road danger at the school gate, enabling parents to choose to let their children walk, wheel, or cycle to school.

Urban 20mph speed limits
Their introduction has been widely shown to reduce road traffic collision injuries. 

Rural 20mph quiet lanes 
Creating safer walking, wheeling, cycling, and equestrian routes between communities.

Speeding
Support technology-based solutions to investigate and seriously reduce death and injury on our roads. 

Pavement Parking 
Ensure that all reports are properly investigated and offenders prosecuted.

Operation SNAP
Promoting the benefits of video and photographic evidence relating to driving offences that members of the public have witnessed.

Please feel free to expand on how you might approach any/all of these issues.

Thank you for your time.

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Responses

Katy Grant (Green)

As Police Commissioner, I would make a priority of collaboration with other stakeholders, including LGAs in the region. An important topic, as evidenced in my manifesto commitments, is to road safety, so working with Highways teams and others in Bath to make roads safer, would be a priority. I have campaigned for 20 mph speed limits in Bristol, and overseen an important pedestrianisation in Clifton, as well as supporting school streets as part of our Hotwells Neighbourhood Plan. Green councillors in both Bath and Bristol have promoted Vision Zero, the campaign to reduce road injuries and eliminate road deaths, in which the police will play a key role.

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Mark Shelford (Conservative)

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods 
Only if supported by the Majority  ( 51%) of the people who live in the road and the roads that will be affected by the displaced traffic.

School Streets
Yes including 20mph and traffic Light crossings not zebra crossings.

Urban 20mph speed limits
Yes but their introduction must be accompanied with a planned maintenance budget. Unfortunately the executive before I was elected in Bath failed to do this and the Council has been playing catch up ever since.  Same for SUSTRANS and the two tunnels path.

Rural 20mph quiet lanes 
Yes but not shared space as my experience is that these don’t work.  A white line on a road does not protect cyclists from close passes.

Speeding
Yes and I have done this since becoming PCC we have invested in 3d capture of the crash site.

Pavement Parking 
Yes .  However some pavement parkings has been  authorised by the Councils including Bath.
In Wimbledon designated white areas on pavements has been authorised allowing for wheelchair and children pram/buggy to pass safely with plenty of space.  Cars are ticketed if they park outside the designated area.

Operation SNAP
This happens now. you can upload dash cam and equivalent onto the A&S website.

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Clare Moody (Labour & Co-operative)

Many of the initiatives and policy proposals set out below are the statutory responsibility of the local highways authority, but one of my key campaign pledges is to work cross-agency to keep the public safe and prevent crime. My answers below reflect that approach and if elected my door would always be open to sensible, measured proposals brought forward by communities across Avon & Somerset. 

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods 

Bristol City Council has pioneered this in Avon & Somerset despite opposition from other political parties and cynical point scoring. Where clear local need and support is provable then I would be very happy to work with local councils and communities to provide support from the Police & Crime Commissioner for implementation.

School Streets

I absolutely support the school streets initiative and would happily work with the local councils and communities to support. We also need to continue encouraging modal shift so, where possible, those dropping off children do not use private cars to do so.

Urban 20mph speed limits

These are already in place in many urban areas across Avon & Somerset and would welcome working with the councils to see where they could be expanded.

Rural 20mph quiet lanes 

Rural lanes are a different proposition to our urban road network, but again I would want to work with the local councils – including town and parish councils – to understand their appetite and roll out where public support is clear.

Speeding

Yes I would want to see the police using all technology available, recognising the need for good value for money for the taxpayer, to discourage speeding, prosecute offenders, and fully investigate incidents – ultimately carrying out the utmost function of the police, protecting and serving the public.

Pavement Parking 

Absolutely, and work closely with the 5 constituent councils and the Combined Authority on their plans to curb pavement parking which causes too many hazards for pedestrians, in particular those with accessibility needs, and – for example – parents with prams. This also impacts on other vital public services, be that other emergency services, or refuse collection.

Operation SNAP

Yes – this could well be vital in reducing road-related crime and protecting pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists from those committing offences. 

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Allen Benet (Liberal Democrat)

No response yet.