Speeding on Lancashire’s motorways is rife because of a lack of proper police patrols – an ex-cop has warned.
Paul Brooks, a former officer who patrolled Lancashire motorways for years, believes the main cause of accidents today is “errant drivers” and that speeding is rife because of a lack of law enforcement. He claims Highways Agency patrols are “policing on the cheap” and that drivers whizz straight past them because they have few real powers.
Mr Brooks, from Bamber Bridge, says that today’s motorways are not policed properly because of financial pressures on Lancashire Constabulary. However, Mr Brooks also believes the loss of lighting on the M65, “inadequate drainage” and a mix of two and three-lane sections are concerns too.
He spoke after recent debates regarding the M65 in Lancashire, which has seen a number of fatal incidents in the last year alone. At the latest full meeting of Pendle Council, various councillors including a firefighter who has attended motorway crashes, joined other Lancashire boroughs in calling for an urgent safety review of the M65, including the return of lighting.
Some claimed the M65 was poorly designed, with an allegedly abrupt end at Colne and concrete central barriers said to create flooding, and was no longer fit for purpose. But other Pendle Council meetings in recent years have heard complaints from residents about alleged speeding on the M65 and through adjoining towns.
Mr Brooks said: “I was a police officer for over 30 years and on traffic, as it was called then, for 28 years. I patrolled the motorways in Lancashire for 15 years as part of a strong motorway-dedicated group of officers.
Paul Brooks, a former police traffic officer
(Image: Paul Brooks)
“Initially, the M65 was not part of the national network, because it didn’t join any other motorway. When they were building the stretch from Blackburn to the M61, I remember asked one of the architects or planners why they were only building a two- lane section. His reply was that it doesn’t go anywhere. But today, it is a major national motorway which varies from two to three lanes at several points and that, alone, is a recipe for disaster. But apparently it ‘doesn’t go anywhere’ so what does it matter?
“Years later. Lancashire Constabulary lost many officers through financial restraints and the dedicated motorway police group was disbanded. New thinking was to have ‘road policing ‘officers responsible for major roads and the motorway.
“But how many do you see on the motorway patrolling it in Lancashire? Calming traffic? If you do, you are very lucky. You only see them when there is an accident or collision, in my view.”
Regarding the M65, he said: “Street lighting is being abandoned and drainage not being adequate does cause problems, But, in my view, the main cause is errant drivers. Speeding is rife and it’s not policed.
“Highways Agency traffic officers do a good job, But motorists completely ignore them because they do not have the powers which the police have. In other words. they’re trying to police on the cheap.
“As a driver, you would not overtake a police vehicle at a greater speed than the speed limit. But drivers just ignore Highways Agency vehicles.
“I get frustrated that policing of the motorways is no longer a priority even though the death toll or serious injury rises. Lancashire used to be part of the North West Motorway Patrol Group. That consisted of Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire police. I don’t know if it is still going but I do know that Lancashire pulled-out because of the expense. But how do you put a value on a life?”
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