The AA assists Hampshire Constabulary with traffic management during airshow

Visitors to last week’s Farnborough International Airshow saw, for the first time, the AA Event Assist team and not police officers performing traffic control duties following the team’s recent recognition as part of Hampshire Constabulary’s Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

AA Event Assist has developed a team of fully-trained and accredited staff who have been empowered to direct traffic on roads at events subject to a traffic management plan.

In order to carry out their duties effectively the chief constable of Hampshire Constabulary has granted them powers to:

•direct traffic, other than that of escorting a wide load; and

•require a name and address, where an accredited person has reasonable cause to believe road traffic offences are being committed.

This accreditation supports the Association of Chief Police Officer’s (ACPO) view that police officers should not generally be used for directing traffic at pre-planned events, thereby releasing officers to undertake core responsibilities.

Sergeant Jason Holford, the police planner for the event, said: “Partnership working within Hampshire Constabulary is developing all the time. Utilising the professionalism, local knowledge and skill of other agency staff from a variety of organisations, improves our delivery of service to our communities.

“This accreditation allows Hampshire Constabulary to release police resources back into core policing roles, particularly important with the demands being placed upon the police with events this summer.

“The AA’s appointment has meant that we can maximise the use of our resources and provide a visible presence to Hampshire residents and not deploy around 28 officers per day to deal with the traffic issues related to the airshow.”

Mick Easom, CSAS manager at the AA, said: “We are delighted to become a community safety accredited company in Hampshire and look forward to being part of the extended police family.

“We are pleased to be able to provide a service which enables the police to redirect their resources to their core duties in their local communities.

“Our primary role during the Farnborough International Airshow was to assist with the direction and flow of the traffic travelling to and from the airshow, enabling spectators to get to the event as quickly and safely as possible and local road users to move about the area.”

The AA Accredited staff were easily identifiable in their yellow reflective jackets with distinctive CSAS accreditation badges fixed to the arm and chest. They were also labelled ‘AA Traffic Control’ on the back of the jacket.

The AA Event Assist team will also be helping Lancashire Constabulary with traffic management during this week’s Open Golf Championship (July 15 to 22) at Royal Lytham & St Annes.