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Motoring news

'Shortfall' prompts M4 policing threat

18/02/2009

Police in South Wales may no longer attend major events or deal with minor incidents on the M4 motorway, their chief constable has warned.

In an interview with BBC Wales, Barbara Wilding explained that a funding shortfall in next year's budget might mean that the force could no longer afford to provide its current level of service from April.

Ms Wilding explained that, in England, the Highways Agency responds to incidents such as fog and debris on motorways, and that the cost of this service does not come from police budgets - but that the Welsh Assembly had not approved the £2 million cost of creating a similar agency for Wales.

"I decided, because I know how important the M4 is to the economic wellbeing of Wales, we would carry on policing the motorway," Ms Wilding said.

"So we do respond to debris, we do respond to accidents on the motorway."

But while Ms Wilding made it clear that the force, which has lost 186 staff in the past year, would continue to respond to any crime on the motorway, she added: "We will be building a business case to the Welsh Assembly to say 'if you want us to carry on policing the motorway, responding to [issues such as fog and debris], then you must pay for it.'

"'If you don't pay for it, we will no longer be doing it.'"

However, a Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson told WalesOnline.co.uk: "Funding of police forces is non-devolved and a matter for the Home Office.

"All four chief constables in Wales have been fully involved in the recent development of the Road Policing Manifesto.

"One idea already proposed is the transfer of certain powers from police to highways agencies, to improve the efficiency of road policing and free up the police for law-enforcement duties."