HUNDREDS of Barnsley residents have shaped road policing officers’ priorities for the next three months.
An online survey asking people what issues they wanted police on the borough’s roads to tackle has come to an end.
Around half of those who responded said clamping down on drink and drug driving - previously highlighted as the most prevalent issue on Barnsley’s roads - followed by antisocial drivers and speeding.
Mobile phone use, driving without insurance, dangerous driving and driving without a seatbelt featured lower in people’s concerns.
Inspector Jason Booth said: “As the government’s restrictions have lifted, the roads and traffic have returned to normal.
“We will always be there to intercept criminals who use our road network to commit crime and we will always be there to respond to emergencies where you need us the most, but during proactive patrols of the roads, we want to focus on the issues that matter to you.
“Those that follow our social media channels will see that we work hard to make the roads a safer place.
“Your responses and also the information you share via 101 and the SYP website help us shape our policing.
“Since launching our surveys we have carried out operations, including those with partners, introduced our Op Illuminate car - a car solely purposed for proactive patrols and continue to campaign for safer roads through taking part in national campaigns, raising awareness and carrying out enforcement.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey - your support is appreciated.”
It comes after fresh concerns over speeding motorists were raised as hundreds signed a petition urging for adequate safety measures on a hotspot road.
Dearne Valley Parkway has been the site of frequent accidents and near misses as antisocial motorists use the stretch of road through Brampton, Hemingfield and Hoyland as ‘a race track’.
Car enthusiasts have regularly used Cortonwood retail park as a place to socialise and discuss their cars, with most of these judged to be abiding by the rules, but residents had their say on the matter during a virtual meeting last Thursday evening.
Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey, who hosted the forum, said: “A number of people have contacted me recently raising concerns about racing on Dearne Valley Parkway and driver gatherings at Cortonwood.
“Residents have suffered for years and are fed up. I am determined to do all I can to try to get this sorted.
“I did a lot of work a couple of years ago to stop drivers meeting at the retail park. I made sure new gates were fitted on the car parks and existing gates were closed consistently every night after shops closed.
“I understand the current problem is cars gathering in the car park at the back of B and Q and I have got on to the retail park managers this week to press them to resolve this.
“They are looking at why the gate isn’t being closed and whether additional measures are possible.
“The problem of drivers with wide-bore exhausts racing on the parkway is more difficult to solve, but this week I have also been in touch with police and Barnsley Council to see what can be done.”
