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Safety fears prompt bike ban by cops

Ria Nortcliffe
21/11/2007

OFFICERS in Wilmslow have been banned from patrolling the streets on mountain bikes amid health and safety fears.

They were stopped from riding their bikes following the death of a colleague in a horrific accident.

The bikes were issued earlier this year to allow officers the ability to patrol over a wide area and still be accessible to people. They are also quick and silent and can get to places where cars cannot reach.

Now all fully-fledged police constables and Community Support Officers will have to pass a cycling proficiency test before they get back into the saddle.

They have been told they must walk or use cars in the meantime because police chiefs said they feared the officers did not have enough training to handle road conditions in the county.

The decision follows the death of rookie Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Christopher Maclure, who suffered massive head injuries after being hit by a lorry in Wigan, in September.

Police said even experienced officers would be given extra safety advice.

The patrols are popular with the public because they allow officers to chase criminals down narrow lanes and through parks and because they act as a visible deterrent.

Alderley Edge Parish Council chairman Mary Maczkowiak said the move was "health and safety gone mad", but said she was glad that the village’s PCSO, Dawn Kennerley, had passed all the necessary training and was able to patrol the area on her bike again.

She said: "All PCSOs were told they had to do cycling proficiency tests and until they had passed them they had to either cadge a lift to work or use public transport.

"It is unbelievable to think that the PCSOs are going around schools giving advice to children on cycling proficiency and road safety and they’re not even allowed to ride their bikes themselves.

"Getting public transport to and from sWilmslow station to Alderley also cut into her day. It’s health and safety gone mad.

"But Dawn’s passed all the tests and is allowed to use the bike again, which is great."

Sergeant Julie Rafferty, of Wilmslow Police, said that dozens of officers had already passed the training and have been given their bikes back, but others were still waiting to take the test.

She said: "This decision has been taken following the tragic death of PCSO Chris Maclure in Wigan. The safety of officers and staff is our first priority and Cheshire Police felt it was important to instill standards in cycling and that it wasn’t enough just to have the basic cycling proficiency test from junior school.

"The training is a proper nationally accredited programme and is a pass and fail course. It applies to all officers who ride a bike, not just PCSOs.

"Some have already passed and have been given back their bikes. Those that haven’t are having to use public transport or cars in the mean time. It just depends on what type of inquiry they’re going out on."