Lincolnshire: Dedicated roads policing unit aims to cut deaths

The unit is made up of 20 officers and is split across sites in Louth and Grantham

A dedicated roads policing unit has been launched in Lincolnshire in a bid to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads.

The team, made up of 20 officers, is split across two sites in Grantham and Louth.

Lincolnshire Police said its ambition was to "have the safest roads in the UK".

The road policing team (RPU) would also target criminal activity on the county's road network, the force said.

Ch Insp Pat Coates said nearly 500 people had been killed or seriously injured on the county's roads in the past year.

"That's clearly far too many," he said.

He said the county had a large network of minor roads and had seasonal issues with motorcycles and people visiting the coast.

"Every serious collision we attend is a life-changing event for those involved. By engaging with road users, educating, and enforcing road traffic legislation, we aim to reduce the number of people who have their lives potentially devastated," he added.

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Lincolnshire Police said its ambition is to "have the safest roads in the UK"

Lincolnshire Police said the Grantham RPU, which was established in January, had already had some success targeting criminal activity.

Four stolen vehicles had been recovered and a number of arrests made in relation to drugs offences, the force said.

The RPU team had also visited schools to talk about their work.

The Louth RPU launched on Wednesday.

Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones said he was delighted to see a dedicated roads policing unit in the county - the role having previously been performed as a dual function of the Armed Policing Unit.

"[It will] reinforce efforts to reduce the number of serious and fatal collisions - as well as targeting offenders who use our roads to travel into the county to commit crime," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Jones has agreed to support the new Rural Spotter project, to combat criminal activity, including hare coursing, lead theft and theft from farms and rural properties.

He said the cameras would "seriously enhance" the police's ability to "put eyes on the most isolated locations".