West Midlands Police receive £1 million funding to tackle dangerous drivers

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, has stepped up his war against dangerous drivers after securing £1 million from the government. The PCC will inject the new funding to buy extra speed vans, employ more staff to view videos of dangerous drivers while also pledging to tackle anti-social behaviour on the streets.

The seven-figure fee is part of the Safer Streets project which will also aim to tackle violence against women and girls. Six members of staff will be hired to view dangerous dashcam footage while three new speed camera vans will also be purchased. The police’s community speedwatch team will also be boosted.

Since 2013, road collisions and casualties have started to rise, with 1,051 people seriously injured in road traffic collisions in the last financial year, including 55 fatalities. Mr Foster will also target violence against women and girls in public spaces by educating children and young people and The PCC will also work with Birmingham City Council by funding two city centre intervention officers to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime on the streets.

The West Midlands police chief said: “Cracking down on dangerous drivers is one of my top priorities. As Police and Crime Commissioner and as Chair of the West Midlands Road Safety Strategic Group, preventing and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour on our roads, promoting road harm reduction and reducing the number of people tragically and avoidably killed and seriously injured on our roads are also top priorities.

“This funding will help me and West Midlands Police make our roads safer for all by expanding community speed watch schemes; boosting third party reporting, with six new staff to oversee submitted video footage and three new speed camera vans.”

He added: “Ending male violence against women and girls has also been a core priority for me from day one. It was a central part of my manifesto in 2021 and it is a top priority in my Police and Crime Plan.

“We’ve been able to take some great strides already but there’s so much work to be done in achieving community-wide change and having more open conversations about what we can all do. This important funding will help us to do just that.”

Chief Superintendent Ian Green, from West Midlands Police, commented: “We have been working jointly with all local authorities over the past few years and are determined to tackle dangerous and reckless driving which puts the safety of others and themselves at risk.”