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| Chief targets main road hold-ups | Chief targets main road hold-ups |
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| Changes to the way Wales' main roads are policed could help cut congestion and anti-social driving, North Wales Police's chief constable says. | Changes to the way Wales' main roads are policed could help cut congestion and anti-social driving, North Wales Police's chief constable says. |
| Richard Brunstrom says Wales' geography means it is "uniquely vulnerable" to queues and delays on its trunk roads. | Richard Brunstrom says Wales' geography means it is "uniquely vulnerable" to queues and delays on its trunk roads. |
| He admitted police have been "slow to recognise" the economic impact of time taken to clear crashes and breakdowns. | He admitted police have been "slow to recognise" the economic impact of time taken to clear crashes and breakdowns. |
| Mr Brunstrom, who addresses an assembly committee later, also wants to tackle anti-social behaviour among drivers. | Mr Brunstrom, who addresses an assembly committee later, also wants to tackle anti-social behaviour among drivers. |
| He wants to use anti-social behaviour legislation to tackle "annoying and frightening" driving, including tail-gating and racing on highways. | |
| Mr Brunstrom wants closer partnerships between all the emergency services and the assembly government could help and anti-social behaviour must be targeted. | Mr Brunstrom wants closer partnerships between all the emergency services and the assembly government could help and anti-social behaviour must be targeted. |
| He will give evidence to the assembly's enterprise committee later. | He will give evidence to the assembly's enterprise committee later. |
| Mr Brunstrom, who is the road policing lead officer for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Wales, said dealing with incidents on the roads "could be dealt with better". | Mr Brunstrom, who is the road policing lead officer for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Wales, said dealing with incidents on the roads "could be dealt with better". |
| We have perhaps been slow to recognise the economic disadvantage caused by congestion Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom | We have perhaps been slow to recognise the economic disadvantage caused by congestion Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom |
| "I think there's a dawning recognition now across the whole of the public sector - and I include the Welsh assembly government in this - that we really do need to sharpen our act up particularly with incident management.," he told BBC Radio Wales. | "I think there's a dawning recognition now across the whole of the public sector - and I include the Welsh assembly government in this - that we really do need to sharpen our act up particularly with incident management.," he told BBC Radio Wales. |
| "And when I say we I include the police in that. | "And when I say we I include the police in that. |
| "We have perhaps been slow to recognise the economic disadvantage caused by congestion and that can we find quicker ways of solving incidents so that the evidence is collected, people are kept safe and the road is reopened more swiftly." | "We have perhaps been slow to recognise the economic disadvantage caused by congestion and that can we find quicker ways of solving incidents so that the evidence is collected, people are kept safe and the road is reopened more swiftly." |
| He said an idea currently being piloted is to use police powers to ensure recovery vehicles reach broken-down cars on dual carriageways which do not have an emergency lane within about 10 minutes. | He said an idea currently being piloted is to use police powers to ensure recovery vehicles reach broken-down cars on dual carriageways which do not have an emergency lane within about 10 minutes. |
| "Previously it's been taking 45 minutes to an hour, he said. | "Previously it's been taking 45 minutes to an hour, he said. |
| "That's a huge safety benefit and it dramatically reduces the congestion." | "That's a huge safety benefit and it dramatically reduces the congestion." |
| Helicopter footage of the 10-mile M4 tailback in south Wales. Source: Gwent Police | |
| He said anti-social behaviour on the roads would also be better targeted. | He said anti-social behaviour on the roads would also be better targeted. |
| "Anti-social behaviour is all too prevalent on our roads, and can be annoying and frightening - examples are close following at high speed, use of the highways for racing, misuse of residential streets and the like," he said. | "Anti-social behaviour is all too prevalent on our roads, and can be annoying and frightening - examples are close following at high speed, use of the highways for racing, misuse of residential streets and the like," he said. |
| "We will target this behaviour, and apply the new anti-social behaviour legislation to the full to tackle this persistent problem more effectively." | "We will target this behaviour, and apply the new anti-social behaviour legislation to the full to tackle this persistent problem more effectively." |
| He has identified a number of other ways in which improvements could be made, including integrated decision making, the use of new technology and joint planning of maintenance work. | He has identified a number of other ways in which improvements could be made, including integrated decision making, the use of new technology and joint planning of maintenance work. |
| A report published in January by the transport alliance, Sewta, found traffic congestion cost Wales £600m each year. | A report published in January by the transport alliance, Sewta, found traffic congestion cost Wales £600m each year. |
| Mr Brunstrom also notes that re-education courses will soon be on offer in every part of Wales for those drivers caught speeding up to 35 mph. | Mr Brunstrom also notes that re-education courses will soon be on offer in every part of Wales for those drivers caught speeding up to 35 mph. |
| In the past, these courses have only been available in north Wales. | In the past, these courses have only been available in north Wales. |
| The four Welsh police forces hope to achieve these aims in coordination with the assembly government, and have presented a draft manifesto outlining the way in which Welsh roads will be policed in the future. | The four Welsh police forces hope to achieve these aims in coordination with the assembly government, and have presented a draft manifesto outlining the way in which Welsh roads will be policed in the future. |