Now I know there are those that don't like the Police, but this is not a post to bitch about them. It's not very often I allow those I know to read anything I write, but I felt I had to share this with you all. I know most of you know about the Wirral, but I was far too cross eyed to start editing it fully on here, so bear with me

This information affects ALL of you, your families and your friends! No matter what you feel about the Police, this is bad news all round!

I spoke with a couple of friends I've not seen for a while over the weekend and since that conversation, I've spoken to a few others in order to do this blog post. Those of you that know me, know that I have the utmost respect for our Police. I have many friends who are Police Officers all around the country, and I'm proud to say so. I often find myself worrying about them when they are single crewed, and in general. This is mainly due to the minority of members of the public who wish to do them harm, merely because of what they stand for. This makes me sad.

Recently, it was announced that there would be cuts to Policing, the numbers of police are to be cut,there's an increase in their pension contributions and a reduction in the amount of their pension. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it does!

I live on a peninsula which is about 10 miles (16.1 km) long, 7 miles (11.3 km) wide and covers an area of 60.35 square miles. According to the 2001 census, the population is approximately 312,293 (310,200 according to 2007 ONS estimation). It can be reached either via the M53 or via 2 road tunnels and 1 train tunnel. Some say that it's Merseyside, others (like myself) say that it's Cheshire. Either way, we are policed by 2 forces (am I allowed to call it a Police Force anymore? Some say not).

Now, a JSNA report in 2009 stated the following:



This summer has seen a marked spike in the number of KSI on the Wirral. Enforcement is seen as the main way to attempt to reduce these numbers. Statistics have shown that for every 500 tickets handed out, the number of KSI is reduced by 1. Attitudes are heading more towards education, but the powers that be cannot measure that - they prefer visible results and numbers. Now, the Wirral currently has its RPU/OSU/Traffic (whatever your Force call them) department based in Bromborough. This consists of 35 highly skilled traffic officers - 30 Constables and 5 Sgts. These officers cover Wirral, Liverpool north and Liverpool south BCU.

As mentioned, we can be reached by a motorway, but the M53 is no longer covered by Merseyside police. As of approx 2 yrs ago, the M53 was handed to Cheshire as part of the regional North West Motorway Group. Before that, Merseyside had two dedicated cars for the M53, as far as junction 6. This is now covered by Cheshire from as far away as Lymm (a distance of somewhere between 26.8 and 35.7 miles away, or 33-52 minutes away, depending which route you take). This has not been successful and on numerous occasions, the Wirral traffic cars have ended up on the M53 with little or no back up. The M53 has now effectively become a race track as a result, with little or no enforcement and little or no patrols seen on it.

For those who don't know, it often takes two cars in order to safely deal with any motorway incident - one to protect and establish a safe area and the other to actually deal with the incident. I know of at least two occasions in the past week or two where pedestrians were on the M53 and the nearest Cheshire car was coming from Middlewich, and the other time the only traffic car was coming from Switch Island in Liverpool. Only the quick response from the Bromborough traffic department prevented a fatality.

This has a knock on effect for other emergency services, such as Paramedics, who will often be first at scene and do not have the equipment to establish a secure cordon to prevent other vehicles coming towards them. Their priority is to preserve life, and they are jeopardised by the lack of Police support on the motorway more than ever before. The Police role is to protect the scene and gather evidence. Time delays means loss of evidence, which in turn may mean anyone who could be brought to book for causing an accident can effectively get off scott free.

Things are going to take a turn for the worse as the entire department is relocating to Smithdown Lane in Liverpool City Centre as of 3rd October, this year! There seems to have been no consultation with the local authority, or even the Police authority. There seems to be no logical or reasonable explanation, other than all senior management appear to live on the Liverpool side of the Mersey and don't wish to travel to Bromborough.

No explanation has been given. It doesn't appear to cut costs or save any money other than a few tunnel fares (which is insignificant in a budget for the size of the department). This means that 31 of the 35 traffic officers that live on the Wirral will now have to travel to Liverpool and incur the extra tunnel tolls (£3 per day or £2.60 if you use a pre paid fast tag) along with the extra fuel costs.

With the addition of a pay freeze, the removal of overtime, removal of special priority payment and the massive increase in the cost of living, not to mention the increase in pension contributions planned, this all makes for a fairly miserable experience.

Smithdown Lane is a decrepit building with little space for a further 35 lockers and 10 cars, not to mention 8 motorcycles. More importantly, traffic officers will essentially be coming from Smithdown Lane for any incident on the Wirral. High risk routes such as Telegraph Road will be a good 15-20 minute drive away at best - on a good day, in good weather with no tunnel closures/contraflows.

As we all know, accidents and collisions increase in poor weather, which makes the chance of further collisions much much higher, and also the risk of vital evidence in a likely to prove or fatal being lost, especially as specialist officers are 20+ minutes away.

Members of the public are being put at risk with this move, and that includes me, my family, my friends and even you and yours if you venture into the area! I for one don't think that this is acceptable and I will keep asking questions and making a noise about this move.


*RTC's now of course, amongst other acronyms.

Good post.

I didn't know this.

You hardly ever see traffic police cars on the M53 up until you hit the Queensferry turn off, I guess this would explain it if they are coming from the A41.

Well posted Wench TY. Like wise to Alec I didnt know this either If anymore news please keep us posted

Thanks Gents. The thing is, not many people do know as it's not been publicised! I only know because of around half a dozen of my friends. If it wasn't for the fact that it's putting the Wirral at risk I wouldn't have been quite as up in arms about it. It's ok some saying that it's less to be giving out tickets, but the old arguement of "if it was someone on a mobile or with no insurance/license that hit and killed a member of your family or friend, you'd blame the Police for not stopping them" applies.

There will be less chance of drink drivers getting caught on this side as normal "response" officers don't carry the breathaliser, so they'd have to wait for a traffic officer to come over. During this time, the alcohol levels are dropping.

The other issue will be that if a pursuit is requested on the Wirral, the traffic officers that can carry out such an action are already well behind as they're over the water. So effectively, if you're car is stolen, someone runs you or your child over or someone burgles your house and steals your car keys, don't expect anyone to be available for at least 15-20 minutes to be able to chase after them. Less ANPR cars to locate your stolen car on this side of the water, less cars to pick up those driving with no tax/mot/insurance/license, ergo more chance of you being in a smash and not being able to claim so easily.

If you're out Eastham way and you have a smash, you're really going to be in trouble.

Now hopefully people will start to imagine what the bigger picture is of this. It's NOT just about speeding tickets, it's about OUR safety, YOUR safety!

Wow. Thanks for this post. I wasn't aware either but am now.

One question...where do we kick up the stink about this?

You're welcome Rev. I know it may sound like scaremongering, but the facts speak for themselves. There is nothing to say that it won't impact even more than I think. After all, nobody thought 2 planes would be ploughed into the twin towers but they did. Just because a scenario appears "far fetched" doesn't mean it can't happen

I'd maybe start with your local Councillor or MP.

Sorry to be OT, but this annoyed me. When you're talking about Wallasey or Birkenhead you call the area Cheshire? *boggle*

am more likely to be caught speeding that crash or av me car stolen so am sound

"When I were a lad" it was Cheshire. Now can we be allowed to call it "The Wirral" not just "Wirral" please.

My birth certificate says I was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire. That's good enough for me.

Is that not why are postcodes changed from l to ch? To label us Cheshire..

Whilst one hates to ruin a good story, this is absolutely and unequivocally incorrect.

The CH postcode previously covered just the Chester region and also Flintshire, Wales.

CH is CHESTER, not CHESHIRE.

Wilmslow is in Cheshire, it has an SK postcode.

Northwich? CW.

The CH section of the postcode merely tells us where mail to that area will be processed in terms of sorting office.

The next bit i.e. 63 tells us which delivery office it will then be sent to.

The next number tells the delivery office which area or neighbourhood the mail should then go.

The final letters tell the post office which postman should be given the letters to go out and deliver.

Frog Eyes; quite simply put, we only had out postcodes changed when Royal Mail opened up a new sorting office. Absolutely nothing to do with being associated with Cheshire.

Kind regards,
Ian

No. This was done to change the administrative area for the postal service.

From some random site I found: "Since 1974, the Wirral became part of Merseyside but people on the Wirral did not recognise this fact. Even now 34 years later, this is still prevalent. Great enjoyment was taken in more recent years, in a lot of quarters, when the Liverpool postcode was dropped and Wirral returned to a CH (Chester) postcode."

Are right thanks must admit I do class us as merseyside to, it's like when I go away and get asked were am from , I always say Wirral merseyside, Not Cheshire. Everyone knows merseyside

I wasn't born in Wallasey, and when I was born up until I was several years old, The Wirral was Cheshire. It always will be Cheshire to me. I guess it depends how old you are. My birth certificate says Cheshire, my christening thing says Cheshire, a few other childhood certificates (one from the Courts) say Cheshire. Plus the fact I hate the tag of "merseyside".



Well that's ok then. Lets hope everyone else you drive near is the same and you or your family/friends never get crashed into or knocked over eh

"When I were a lad" it was Cheshire. Now can we be allowed to call it "The Wirral" not just "Wirral" please.[/quote]

No we cannot!
There is no such address as The Wirral it is Wirral.

I have seen pretentious adverts showing addresses such as Upton Upon Wirral, whilst the correct postal address is Upton, Wirral, followed by postcode. The word Merseyside does not feature in the Upton address, yet does in the address for some parts of Wirral.

I like the Cheshire address. Would not however wish to go back to this would mean I would have to pay half fare each time I go to Liverpool.My current travel pass is free for use after 9.30am on weekdays/all day Sat&Sun.

Feel free Tatey lad, as long as you add Peninsula to the end i.e

The Wirral Peninsula
Merseyside
CHxx xxx

It would be either

'[street]
[Wallasey etc]
Merseyside
CHxx xxx'

or

'[street]
[Heswall, etc]
Wirral
CHxx xxx'

Any old timers who would like to go back to Cheshire would instantly lose their free travel on Merseyrail. Also 60-64 year olds would lose free travel on the buses within the Merseyside county.

Liverpool is far more important to Wirral economically and socially. I don't understand why people pine after going back into Cheshire.

Snobbery , pure and simple...i'm from Wallasey , so therefore i'm from Merseyside, i live by the " side " of the "Mersey"...