Motor cycle police return to Essex! - cockle {P}
It has been announced today that Essex Police are to reintroduce a motor cycle section, a reversal of the decision five years ago to scrap them, a decision which it was predicted would see an increase in motor cycle deaths in the County. Strangely enough today's decicion uses the high death toll amongst motor cyclists on the county's roads as a reason for their reintroduction.

At present they are only adding 6 machines to the 2 currently in use for 'educational reasons' when there were previously 30 before the disbanding of the section but it is a step in the right direction towards getting more traffic police eyes out on the roads where they can be effective against the bad drivers on our roads that aren't caught on camera.

Many of us could be saying 'told you so' today but I am just happy to see a positive move being made toward more sensible policing of our roads.

tinyurl.com/934ne
Motor cycle police return to Essex! - Reggie
Administrators are paid a lot of money to re-invent the wheel. It keeps them in a job.

But as a biker, I am pleased to see a reversal of the previous decision made by Essex Police.

Where I work (in the Ambulance Service), we have had bikes, and their future exsistence is under threat or not, year on year, depending on if the present manager in charge thinks that "bikes are inherently unsafe" or not.


Reggie

Motor cycle police return to Essex! - martint123
Was it Essex that the ex-North Yorks chief moved to? ISTR he was almost sensible, plod on the roads with a visible presence and a distinct lack of cameras.

I had a days ride with a bike paramedic with 'bikesafe' and he was running a hand-me-down Pan ex plod, with lots of miles. Said he was kept quite busy though - nothing better for getting through the jams to get to the scene in decent time.

Martin
Motor cycle police return to Essex! - cockle {P}
Probably the one Martin, David Baker, joined Derbyshire in 1977 then Deputy Chief Constable of North Yorkshire in 2003 until he came to Essex earlier this year.
He is very visible, has been on local radio more times since his arrival than I can remember total appearances of the previous incumbants, seems to talk a lot of sense, very pro getting PC's out on the streets instead of tucked up in their stations. He has also stated that the police will attend EVERY reported incident and has made police stations open more hours than they are closed. He has been like a breath of fresh air, just hope he doesn't get pushed aside in the proposed reorganisation of the Police in East Anglia, apparently he is the most junior of the current Chief Constables and hence favourite to not get the nod, would be a real shame to lose him.
Motor cycle police return to Essex! - Imagos
As an Essex lad and as i live literally just a few hundred or so yards from where the Squadron will be based I can only support the decision. Only disapointment is the number (or lack of).

This will be big local news in the next few days.