A senior Somerset police officer has laid out in detail why the M5 is often closed for so long following a serious incident.
National Highways classes a 'serious incident' as one which shuts one or more lanes on one or both carriageways or the motorway - such as a significant crash or a "person in crisis".
Avon and Somerset Constabulary is ultimately responsible for deciding how much of the motorway should be closed, and for how long, after such an incident occurs - with National Highways deploying teams to carry out urgent repairs once a scene has been cleared.
Andy Roebuck, the police's forensic collision investigation lead officer, has now detailed why police investigations can take so long - warning that any effort to speed up the process could undermine any criminal prosecutions.
Mr Roebuck gave an account of his approach when Somerset Council's climate, environment and place scrutiny committee met in Taunton on July 9.
He said: "We are the people that will turn up at the scene of someone who has tragically been killed, or has such injuries that they are not expected to live.
"We have to operate to what the coroner's judicial requirements are, along with those from a criminal investigation point of view.
"At some of the incidents that we attend, there has been fault, there has been criminal acts, and you can be sentenced for up to 20 years.
"So far this year, we have attended 45 incidents in the Avon and Somerset area, of which there has been 32 people killed. My highly qualified team of 13 people deals with a high level of death - more than the wider force does.
"Our average time at a scene this year has been just under five hours. I accept that the road would have been closed longer, because as soon as the first emergency units attend, they put a road closure on, which is quite right for their safety and the preservation of evidence at the scene."
Read more
Mr Roebuck said that he had "constant battles" with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service over preserving evidence at a potential crime scene, stating he had given repeated advice on "where they should and shouldn't be driving".
He continued: "We have very stringent rules of how we should be operating. If we operate incorrectly, then we could actually forfeit what could be a criminal investigation.
"With murder scenes, invariably you can have those site or areas closed off for a good few days. We only have one opportunity, because we have to reopen the road as soon as we possibly can.
"We are constantly looking at trying to reduce the road closures down by using new technology or innovation."
Mr Roebuck said that Somerset's police force remained underfunded compared to others in the UK - but warned that these incidents would not go away simply be allocating additional funding.
He said: "Money is always a big factor, and Avon and Somerset is underfunded compared to other forces.
"Road policing is an area that needs significant funding, as does my unit.
"Throwing more money at this will help in part, but you have to look at the root causes of what we're dealing with. It needs the council and other public services to prioritise and deal with their respective areas.
"The primary driver for the work we do is for the families - to give hopeful answers and closure to the families and the survivors.
"Behind every road death, there is a degree of tragedy - there are always other things that are happening.
"For us to operate differently and do less would need a change in legislation, and a change in the coroner's judicial system as it currently stands."
Share