POLICE FRIEND OR FOE?
A day on the frontline with bike cops,
‘As soon as they cross the line our lights and sirens are on’
My message is simple ‘please come to Wales, we have some fantastic roads to ride. Just don’t die here.’ As the Roads Policing Inspector for North Wales, an invitation from Inspector Dave Cust to come and enjoy the fabulous roads on his patch is unexpected. North Wales has a reputation for very low tolerance when it comes to traffic violations and since the days of former Chief Constable Richard ‘Mad Mullah’ Brunstrom to the recent announcement that the force is targeting bikes with small plates and loud pipes, they haven’t exactly appeared hospitable. Some would even go as far as to say they are anti-biker and social media explodes with anger whenever the force is mentioned. However the figures speak for themselves. In 2017, 80 motorcyclists were seriously injured on the roads in north Wales with eight killed. And by July 2018, eight biker fatalities have already been recorded. North Wales has an issue with safety on its roads. But are the force approaching the issue in the correct way? MCN joined the force for a day to find out.
8am The day’s briefing
It’s the Saturday of England’s World Cup quarter final, but that doesn’t stop riders coming to north Wales. Patrolling today will be one unmarked car and bike, two marked cars and five marked bikes alongside four speed camera vans. The officers work five weekends in a row (they don’t get paid overtime) as it is at the weekends that accident rates spike. In the briefing room the chat is about bikes, outside is parked a Bonnie, Multistrada and GSX-S1000 and of the nine officers, seven have bike licences.
The briefing starts with Sergeant Trystan Bevan explaining the day’s objectives, which fall under Operation Darwen, the operation to reduce motorcycle and car accidents in north Wales. Events that are happening, accident hot spots, any knowledge of car or bike clubs visiting are all discussed. The officers are given areas to head towards and ‘engagement’ and ‘being visible’ is the main focus, there is no mention of ‘target small plates or loud pipes.’ The briefing ends with the sobering: “Hopefully you will have nothing to deal with today.”
9am On patrol
MCN is in the back of an unmarked Audi A4, something I feel is a little underhand. “In a marked car people react and alter their riding/driving, in an unmarked car we are treated like any other road user,” explains Inspector Cust from the passenger seat. “The aim isn’t to hide and ensnare people, we will tweet a picture of the car at our first stop, it is to see how people actually use the road.”
9.20am The first ticket
An SRAD with a pipe and small plate passes us, followed by a GSXF650. There is a slower car ahead and a straight stretch of road, but on our side is a solid white line. I feel slightly sick as I know what’s about to happen. As soon as they cross the line our lights and siren are on and the atmosphere in the car changes. It’s tense inside as Sergeant Bevan floors the Audi to pass the car, however as the road is now twisty he can’t overtake the bikes and as the riders are concentrating on the bends ahead, neither reacts to the siren. For the next mile we sit behind them and on the first straight, Sergeant Bevan pulls alongside to alert the riders as neither had spotted him. They pull over and receive a ticket, however one rider is adamant he never crossed the line and I feel a degree of sympathy as I’ve had a similar incident. I put this to the officers.
“The video shows his wheels were on the line,” says Sergeant Bevan as we look at the camera footage. I point out that the road was clear ahead and he overtook in control while hardly crossing the line. “Did you see the junction on the right, hidden by the tree?” counters Sergeant Bevan and I admit I hadn’t. “I’ve attended a fatality there, that’s why it’s a solid line as it’s not safe to overtake.” Lesson learnt. The two riders received three points each, a £100 fine and due to the fact they failed to notice the police for so long they will also be required to attend a bike-specific road awareness course. The SRAD rider also received a correction notice for his plate and pipe. “Pulling over bikes is the hardest thing we do as if they crash when we are behind, I can be liable and the resulting accident can be horrific,” explains Sergeant Bevan. “If a car fails to stop it’s easy, but not a bike. We had their plates on the camera, so if they had obviously seen me but not stopped I’d have finished the pursuit as we have to think of their safety. Hopefully the course and points on those rider’s licences will make them think and make them safer.”
9.45am The plate debate
With the SRAD rider receiving a correction notice, I ask the police’s