Information

I’m writing to you to make a request under the freedom of information act relating to incidents reported in your region where cyclists have been close passed by a motor vehicle such as those made as part of Operation Snap or similar.

 

 

Please could I receive the information broken down by calendar year from 2016 onwards in order to establish trends? 

 

 

I’d like to know how many close passes involving cyclists have been reported and how many of them were accompanied by supporting video evidence. 

 

 

I’m also interested in the outcomes of the reports.  What are the outcomes and what is their split amongst the reports?  E.g., how many reports result in no further action being taken, how many resulted in the driver being written to, how many resulted in the drivers being asked to attend an awareness course, and in how many instances were drivers prosecuted etc.? 

 

 

Also, in how many of the reports did the cyclist receive a warning or prosecution relating to their part in the incident? 

 

 

Having submitted many videos to different regions, highlighting what I believed to be obviously dangerous close passes that have resulted in different outcomes, I’d also like to understand how the level of outcome is arrived at and how the consistency of the evidence review is ensured?  For example: 

• Is there a minimum level of training required for each person reviewing evidence? 
• Is it ever acceptable for a vehicle to pass close within 1.5m of a cyclist?  If not, how is the proximity assessed from video evidence?  If so, how is the speed of pass or risk presented assessed from video evidence?   
• What are the documented guidelines/standards that those reviewing the video evidence follow? 

Finally, with respect to the changes in the Highway Code concerning a hierarchy of vulnerable road users, will this be acknowledged in your regions budget spend and what will I notice as a cyclist? 

 

Answer

I am writing to advise you that, following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

 

It is important to understand that The Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC) and Northamptonshire Police are two separate legal entities. Information regarding operational policing matters is the responsibility of Northamptonshire Police, therefore the OPFCC does not hold any of the information you have requested. Northamptonshire Police’s Information Unit may hold some of the information you are seeking. If you have not already done so, then you may wish to write to their Freedom of Information and Data Protection Team, Information Unit, Force Headquarters, Wootton Hall, Northampton, NN4 0JQ / freedomofinformation@northants.pnn.police.uk

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to: Nicci Marzec, Monitoring Officer, Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Darby House, Darby Close, Park Farm Industrial Estate, Wellingborough. NN8 6GS

 

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications. If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.