Case Studies

Golf traffic power

by msecadm4921

Traffic officers from the AA have been accredited by police to have the power to manage and direct traffic during The Open Golf Championship in mid-July, at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire. As reported earlier, a similar arrangement has run earlier this month at the Farnborough International Airshow with Hampshire Police, a sign of police giving up non-core work to the private sector. 

 

 

For the first time, it will be the AA Event Assist team and not  police officers performing traffic control duties following the team’s recent recognition as part of Lancashire Police’s Community Safety Accreditation scheme (CSAS).

 

AA Event Assist has developed trained and accredited staff who have been empowered to direct traffic on the road at events subject to a traffic management plan being in place.

 

To carry out their duties, effectively the Chief Constable of Lancashire Police has granted them three powers:

 

The power to direct traffic other than that of escorting a wide load.

To require name and address, where an accredited person has reasonable cause to believe that a traffic offence is being committed.

To request name and address from someone acting in an anti-social manner.

 

Chief Superintendent Bill McMahon said, “Months of planning have gone into preparing for the arrival of The Open and the policing of such a prestigious event. By providing the AA Event Assist team with this accreditation, it means that police officers will be free to undertake their core duties in the local community throughout the event to ensure everyone can enjoy the event safely.

 

“There will be a highly visible police presence in the Lytham and St Anne’s area and the main aim of our policing operation is to ensure the safety of those playing, working at or visiting the event as well as those who live and work in the area.”

 

Mick Easom, CSAS Manager at the AA, said: “We are delighted to become a Community Safety Accredited company in Lancashire 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 the local community. Our primary role during the Open Golf Championships will be to assist with the direction and flow of the traffic travelling to and from the event, enabling spectators to get there as quickly and as safely as possible and also allowing local road users to move about the area.”

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