Want a ‘close pass’ initiative? Email SYP today!

UPDATE 16/05/17

We have received this response from the SYP Chief Constable to our email:

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your communication with the Office of the Chief Constable, apologies for the delay in replying but I have been researching your query and hoped to reply with a complete response. At present I am able to inform you that the scheme has been discussed at the Senior Leadership level and discussions are ongoing as to how we can implement this and within which department. Apologies that I cannot give you a definitive answer as to exactly when, where and how it will be done, but I will keep you updated when the decision is made. ACC Forber has been tasked by the Chief to look at this issue and to see how we can progress it.

Thanks

Chris

Inspector Chris Foster

Staff Officer to Chief Constable Stephen Watson

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CycleSheffield and many other groups across South Yorkshire have contacted Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, and Chief Constable Stephen Watson, calling for the adoption of a ‘close pass’ initiative.

A copy of the email we have sent him is below, please feel free to copy it and email to:  info@southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk, DTindall@southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk, SRichards@southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk and Chief@southyorks.pnn.police.uk. 

Dear Alan,

I am writing to you to request that South Yorkshire Police adopt a ‘close pass’ initiative to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, similar to the one that West Midlands Police (WMP) and many other forces are now running. Only this week West Yorkshire Police launched a similar scheme. 

We understand that officers from SYP attended the WMP workshop in January but we have not had confirmation that SYP intend to adopt the initiative.

More information on the ‘close pass’ initiative run by West Midlands Police can be read here. WMP road policing blog has more detailed information and explanation for the adoption of this initiative.

South Yorkshire has a worse per capita KSI rate for cyclists than the West Midlands (data from police STATS19 database) and the adoption of such a scheme would help improve both the safety and perception of safety of cycling in our region.

We appreciate that police resources are under intense pressure due to central government’s ongoing austerity programme, however, WMP have stated that their close pass initiative is ‘cost neutral’.  Cycling UK are crowdfunding the mats used to educate drivers over safe passing distances which they are making available to every police force.

We believe that people who drive poorly/dangerously around cyclists are likely to do the same around other road users and therefore this initiative will benefit all road users, not just cyclists. It is clear from reading WMP reports that drivers stopped for driving dangerously around cyclists are often committing other motoring offences (no insurance, no tax, drunk/drug driving etc).

WMP have stated that “Our time and effort … is better spent enforcing the law and prosecuting, thus creating a scenario whereby should someone not give a cyclist the time and space necessary or fail to see them completely they should expect to be prosecuted”. This is the approach we would welcome and support from SYP.

Regards

The list of organisations that support  ‘close pass’ initiative in South Yorkshire:

20’s Plenty Sheffield

7 Hills CC

Barnsley Cycle Hub

Barnsley MTB

Bike Box Alan

Bike Rehab

Biker Grove

Brake – the road safety charity

Breeze South Yorkshire

British Cycling

CTC

Curbar Cycling

Cycle Leeds

CycleSheffield

CycleBoost

Cycles in Motion

Cycling UK

Giant Sheffield

Greg Fell – Sheffield Director of public health

Heeley Development Trust

Langsett Cycles

Langsett Cycles Race Team

Peak District MTB

Pedal Ready

Recycle Bikes

Ride Sheffield

RoadPeace – the national charity for road crash victims

Rotherham Cycle Boost

Rotherham Wheelers CC

Russell’s Bicycle Shed

Sharrow Cycling Club

Sheffield Area Social Cycling Group

Sheffield Cycle Speedway

Sheffield Cycling 4 All

Sheffield Dirt Society

Sheffield Friday Night Ride

Sheffield Hallam University Cycle User Group

Sheffield Triathlon Club

Sheffield u3a cycling group

Sheffrec

Sitwell CC

Skyhook Coaching Services

South Yorkshire Electric Bike Co

Strideout Running Club

Sustrans

Team Cystic Fibrosis

Thurcroft CC

Tony Butterworth Cycles

University of Sheffield cycle forum

Whirlow Wheelers

Worrall Wheelers

Yorkshire Rose CC