Senior policeman urges gates solution in high street
Wednesday, 5th January 2011.
A senior policeman has urged councillors to get gates put up at either end of Haverhill High Street if they want to stop people driving through it.
Haverhill Town Councillors were considering the regular report they receive on recent policing issues in the town, and were told residents were upset that police were not on hand to enforce the traffic regulations in the street.
Ch Insp Martin Barnes-Smith, police chief for the western area of Suffolk attended last night's town council meeting in connection with an item about overall policing changes, and councillors took the opportunity to quiz him about the issue.
Ch Insp Barnes-Smith said councillors needed to look at an engineering solution to the problem, although he supported efforts to get Suffolk County Council to put a legal order in place which police could enforce.
The current order is not technically correct so cannot be enforced legally, but a new one is in the process of being made.
"We need an order covering the high street so we can enforce that legally," said Ch Insp Barnes-Smith. "But am I able to direct staff away from a community policing priority to stand in the high street for the majority of the day?
"We need to talk about an engineering solution which we can support with enforcement. We cannot solve the problem alone."
He suggested such solutions as up-and-down bollards or gates should be considered.
He was backed up by county councillor Tim Marks, who said loading should be banned except by pertmit and there should be no disabled access.
"You need gates at either end. If you have that you'll have no traffic in the high street," said Cllr Marks.
Ch Insp Barnes-Smoth said: "You have wonderful parking facilities in Haverhill. You have shopmobility for the deisabled. You have to make tough decisions.
"You should tell the shops they cannot have deliveries between 10am and 4pm. If you let permit-holders go up there, others will follow."
Cllr Paul McManus said it was an old problem. "We have some of the best parking in Suffolk. Those who drive up the high street are selfish - and they don't just drive gently. It's a death waiting to happen. Gates are the only way forward."
Ch Insp Barnes-Smith, who admitted having been involved when the idea of shared space - where pedestrians and traffic use the same areas - was brought in, described the whole concept as 'daft'.
Haverhill Town Councillors were considering the regular report they receive on recent policing issues in the town, and were told residents were upset that police were not on hand to enforce the traffic regulations in the street.
Ch Insp Martin Barnes-Smith, police chief for the western area of Suffolk attended last night's town council meeting in connection with an item about overall policing changes, and councillors took the opportunity to quiz him about the issue.
Ch Insp Barnes-Smith said councillors needed to look at an engineering solution to the problem, although he supported efforts to get Suffolk County Council to put a legal order in place which police could enforce.
The current order is not technically correct so cannot be enforced legally, but a new one is in the process of being made.
"We need an order covering the high street so we can enforce that legally," said Ch Insp Barnes-Smith. "But am I able to direct staff away from a community policing priority to stand in the high street for the majority of the day?
"We need to talk about an engineering solution which we can support with enforcement. We cannot solve the problem alone."
He suggested such solutions as up-and-down bollards or gates should be considered.
He was backed up by county councillor Tim Marks, who said loading should be banned except by pertmit and there should be no disabled access.
"You need gates at either end. If you have that you'll have no traffic in the high street," said Cllr Marks.
Ch Insp Barnes-Smoth said: "You have wonderful parking facilities in Haverhill. You have shopmobility for the deisabled. You have to make tough decisions.
"You should tell the shops they cannot have deliveries between 10am and 4pm. If you let permit-holders go up there, others will follow."
Cllr Paul McManus said it was an old problem. "We have some of the best parking in Suffolk. Those who drive up the high street are selfish - and they don't just drive gently. It's a death waiting to happen. Gates are the only way forward."
Ch Insp Barnes-Smith, who admitted having been involved when the idea of shared space - where pedestrians and traffic use the same areas - was brought in, described the whole concept as 'daft'.
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