Page 2 - link magazine

2 swindonlink.com • January 2013

North primary West bobbies bike it on the beat
school places West Swindon is full of pedestrian and cycle routes inaccessible to cars, so with a grant from Swindon
Travel Choices, beat police and community support officers are now able to make themselves visible on
consultation bicycles and still achieve a rapid response to incidents.
Swindon Council is restarting The Big Adventure Store,
the consultation delayed from at Basepoint Business Centre
November to hear views on the in Westlea, has supplied the
provision of another 60 primary latest model of Merida bikes
school places to cope with de- fitted with 29” wheels and road
mand in Haydon End, Oakhurst, tyres and will be providing
Redhouse and Taw Hill. a monthly service over three
These places need to be avail- years to keep them in the best
able by September 2014. operating condition.
Two options are being con- PC Tom Turner of the West
sidered: Swindon Neighbourhood Po-
lice Team said: “They’re superb
• expanding Orchid Vale Primary bikes which give officers a
School in Haydon End to become great deal more flexibility to
a two form entry school and build- get around the backways and
ing a single form entry school on a shortcuts.”
green field site north of Mouldon NPT Sergeant Pete Foster
Hill Country Park, to the west of said his experience of using
Thamesdown Drive, or bikes in Pinehurst where he
• build a two form entry school on used to work showed their ef-
the Mouldon Hill site, with Orchid fectiveness. “A common and Gail Light, West Swindon localities facilitator who liaised with Swindon Travel Choices
Vale reverting to a single form entry understandable gripe of the to secure the grant, and Justin Woodward of the Big Adventure store, front, with back
in due course. public is that they don’t see the from left, PCSO Sgt Joseph Rees, Sgt Pete Foster, PC Tom Turner, PC Steve Yates, PCSO
police on the ground enough. Richard Lane, West Swindon Forum chair councillor Nick Martin . Photo: Richard Wintle
The outline plans are available to Bikes provide the means to www.calyxpix.com
view until 23 February at www. increase our visibility in dif- like to see us around. If you’re rid- Justin Woodward of the Big Ad-
swindon.gov.uk/consultations ferent neighbourhoods and those ing on a cyclepath you often have venture Store said he was delighted
See the plans and talk to up to no good know they can no to stop for pedestrians and dog to quote to supply the bikes. “The
council officers on longer hide.” walkers so it’s a good opportunity Merida bikes with larger wheels
Wednesday 23 January, 3pm PCSO Joseph Rees said there had to chat about what’s going on in have the right combination of
to 7pm, at The Tawny Owl pub, been a positive reaction from the that neighbourhood. We’re picking strength for tackling off-road con-
Queen Elizabeth Drive public. “We’ve had the bikes since up bits of intelligence which could ditions whilst having the ability to
early November and people really help with investigations. get up to a higher speed quickly.
“If there is a call we can quickly As both a West Swindon resident
reach incidents by taking shortcuts; and a business, I am keen to help
we can often get to a scene quicker the NPT. It’s in all our interests that
Now is the time to than a response car.” we help them keep us safe.”
Colleague PCSO Richard Lane
• Read the Swindon Travel Choices
make the right move added: “We’re connecting with newsletter on page 47
more people compared with walk-
• See the Big Adventure Store
for your business ing patrols and the kids are well advert on page 18
impressed when we stop for a chat.”
PC on duty every day at school
● Modern Surroundings
West Swindon Neighbourhood Police team joint manager PC Steve
● Light modern office Yeates has been taking a no-compromise approach to parents parking
space up to 2000 sq.ft. outside Oliver Tomkins Primary School, Toothill. Recently he has
been driven to issue tickets to reinforce the message that parking in
● On-site management the wrong place will result in a fine.
For years the school has sent let-
centre & manned ters to parents asking them not to
reception park outside on the double S bend
of Beaumaris Road. Letters from
● Comfortable breakout area PC Yeates at the beginning of term
did not deter people from parking
● On-site meeting rooms in the wrong place, including the
sacrosanct zig-zag lines on either
● 24/7 access & CCTV side of the zebra crossing installed The driver of this vehicle was fined for
blocking the garage on Beaumaris Road
several years ago.
● Free on-site parking Having patrolled the school Photo: PC Steve Yeates
entrance for several days advising for parents and children walking to
parents to keep their cars away school. Unfortunately there were
No obligation, no surprises and no lease term from the entrance, PC Yeates said persistent offenders and I’m afraid
he had to act. “I really didn’t want action was required.”
Basepoint Business Centre www.basepoint.co.uk to start giving people tickets but The word soon spread once
Rivermead Drive some drivers just were not listening penalty notices were given out and
Swindon SN5 7EX @Basepoint_Swnd to what I was saying about parking drivers no longer park outside the
in a dangerous way. Beaumaris school. PC Yeates said he would
To arrange a viewing call the Road at school drop off and pick continue his daily patrols until
management team today on 01793 608800 up time is totally congested and double yellow lines are put down
parked cars make the area unsafe in April.

Dogs on the drugs trail
1-18 January 13.indd 2 14/12/2012 11:38
The police dog team is on the sniff for illegal substances and could
appear in a location near you.
West Swindon NPT joint manager Tom Turner scanned people at
Toothill and Freshbrook village centres, the Link Centre and a concert at
the Oasis in later November and two fixed penalty notices were issued.
“Our canine colleague is trained to smell drugs and we’ll be making
more unannounced visits in the new year,” said Tom.