Visitors to this year’s Farnborough International Airshow from July 9 to 15 will, for the first time, see the AA Event Assist team and not police officers doing traffic control duties. This comes after the AA team’s recent recognition as part of Hampshire Police’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). AA Event Assist has developed a team of trained and accredited staff who have been empowered to direct traffic on roads at events subject to a traffic management plan.
To carry out their duties the Chief Constable of Hampshire has granted them two powers:
– the power to direct traffic, other than that of escorting a wide load;
– and to require a name and address, where an accredited person has reasonable cause to believe road traffic offences are being committed.
This accreditation supports the Association of Chief Police Officer’s view that police officers should not generally be used for directing traffic at pre-planned events, thereby releasing officers to undertake core responsibilities.
Sergeant Jason Holford, the police planner for the event, said: “Partnership working within Hampshire Constabulary is developing all the time. Utilising the professionalism, local knowledge and skill of other agency staff from a variety of organisations, improves our delivery of service to our communities.
“This accreditation allows Hampshire Constabulary to release police resources back into core policing roles, particularly important with the demands being placed upon the police with events this summer. The AA’s appointment has meant that we can maximise the use of our resources and provide a visible presence to Hampshire residents and not deploy around 28 officers per day to deal with the traffic issues related to the airshow.”
Mick Easom, CSAS manager at the AA, said: “We are delighted to become a Community Safety Accredited company in Hampshire and look forward to being part of the Extended Police Family. We are pleased to be able to provide a service which enables the police to redirect their resources to their core duties in their local communities. Our primary role during the Farnborough International Airshow will be to assist with the direction and flow of the traffic travelling to and from the airshow, enabling spectators to get to the event as quickly and safely as possible and local road users to move about the area.”
The AA Accredited staff will be easily identifiable in their yellow reflective jackets with distinctive CSAS accreditation badges fixed to the arm and chest. They will also be labelled “AA Traffic Control” on the back of the jacket.
