'Draconian enforcement' not best way to tackle speeders according to commissioner
"Draconian speed enforcement" is not the best way to stop people being killed on the county's roads, according to the region's Police and Crime Commissioner.
John Campion, commissioner for West Mercia Police, was speaking after the force's chief constable Anthony Bangham suggested that drivers could be stopped and sent on speed awareness courses for going just one mph above the speed limit.
Mr Bangham made the comments while speaking as the National Police Chiefs' Council lead on road policy at the Police Federation Roads Policing Conference.
He told the conference that police should abandon the 10 per cent buffer for speeders, and that instead anyone caught up to 10 per cent above the limit should be sent on a speed awareness course – which cost between £75 and £100.
He said: "Let's change the message – we are proud to be law enforcers.
"I do not want the public to be surprised, I want them to be embarrassed when they are caught.
"They need to understand the law is set at the limit for a reason. They should not come whining to us about getting caught."
Mr Campion though argued that he was supportive of "more enforcement" and that stopping people speeding is about education rather than "criminalising more drivers through draconian speed enforcement".
He said: "Too many people are being killed or seriously injured on our roads. Changing driver behaviour through education, supported by enforcement, is key to making our roads safer rather than just criminalising more drivers through draconian speed enforcement.
"There is an important difference between ‘more enforcement’, and ‘tougher enforcement’ of our laws. I think our communities have a legitimate expectation that their police will enforce the law in a proportionate and pragmatic way."
"I fully support more enforcement in line with community expectations and I will continue to provide West Mercia Police with significant resources to do this."
