MET POLICE HAVE 12 COLLISIONS A DAY

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Apr 2004

Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes has today revealed new figures that show that police collisions occur more than 12 times a day.

The figures revealed in a Parliamentary answer to the Liberal Democrats show that the Boroughs with the highest number of collisions in 2003 were:

· Westminster with 285

· Lambeth with 245

· Kensington and Chelsea with 223

· Newham with 219

· Tower Hamlets with 207

Simon Hughes said:-

"It is vital that the police get to 999 calls as quickly as possible, and there is always a risk of collision when driving at high speed in the city.

"However, these figures are worryingly high. The public will be concerned that their own safety, as well as the safety of police officers, is potentially being put at risk.

"For their safety and our safety, police drivers should have access to regular refresher courses to keep them alert and aware of the dangers."

ENDS

Notes to editor

The figures revealed in Parliamentary answers to the Liberal Democrats show the number of Police 'Collisions' per Borough in 2003.

Boroughs Number of Police Collisions Per Borough in 2003

Westminster 285

Lambeth 245

Kensington &, Chelsea 223

Newham 219

Tower Hamlets 207

Southwark 204

Hackney 200

Ealing 192

Haringey 184

Camden 181

Lewisham 179

Brent 170

Croydon 167

Hammersmith & Fulham 161

Waltham Forest 160

Enfield 145

Islington 145

Hounslow 144

Greenwich 142

Redbridge 137

Barnet 136

Bromley 117

Wandsworth 117

Barking & Dagenham 102

Havering 90

Harrow 83

Bexley 74

Merton 73

Sutton 69

Kingston upon Thames 55

Richmond upon Thames 52

Hillingdon 29

Total 4,402

Average collisions per day

12.06

According to the Home Office, the term 'collision' includes all accidents involving damage to police vehicles, for example when a police vehicle negotiating within a confined space of a police yard and had a collision with another vehicle or structure. It also includes those accidents which are 'vicinity only' for example where a police vehicle was pursing another vehicle and the pursued vehicle then had an accident when the police vehicle was not directly involved in a collision.