Welsh Government
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North Wales first for pioneering motorway service
A trial of the new A55 Traffic Officer Service will be announced by the Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, at the official opening of the new £2.1 million North Wales Traffic Management Centre, at the Morfa, near Conwy.
Mr Jones, who will be joined by the Chief Constable of North Wales Police, Richard Brunstrom, says that the new arrangements will radically improve how the road is policed and could eventually be rolled out across Wales’ major roads.
“I am confident the new system will help cut the time it takes to respond to incidents on this key arterial link”, said Mr Jones, who is Minister for the Economy and Transport.
“The service will help free up police officers to concentrate on core tasks that affect the safety of all road users.
“Together with the operations of the North Wales Traffic Management Centre, this will bring social and economic benefit to the whole of North Wales.”
Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom said:
“Today sees the launch of an exciting new development in partnership working between the Welsh Assembly Government and the Police service in Wales in how we dynamically manage the trunk road network.
“Road users will see the newly liveried traffic officer vehicles on the A55 delivering in a very conspicuous manner enhanced patrols. This will result in a fresh approach to the proactive management of congestion to reduce delay, enhance economic viability and thus improve road safety.”
Each of the yellow and black Battenberg marked vehicles will be fitted with amber and red lights, and traffic officers working in the vehicles will have the powers of a police constable to stop, control and direct traffic.
However these vehicles are not emergency response vehicles – their role is to provide reassurance and promote public safety, and the police will continue to attend and lead emergency situations or incidents that might involve criminal investigation.
“The aim is to assist and not persecute motorists travelling on the A55 Euro route to ensure the network keeps moving," said Richard Brunstrom.
The Traffic Management Centre, which has been fully functional since February 2009, provides a home for Traffic Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’s traffic information service, which has a leading role in the monitoring and managing the trunk road network.
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