Councillor and police officer clash over M5 suicide handling

Somerset motorists have had to endure significant congestion on the motorway in the last 12 months, with numerous instances of crashes or concerns for welfare leading to lengthy closures and tailbacks.

Councillor Henry Hobhouse - one of two Liberal Democrat councillors for Castle Cary - used a recent scrutiny committee meeting to criticise the slow pace at which suicides on the motorway were handled, comparing it to his experience with the British Transport Police.

The police and National Highways have responded that the situation was "not like for like", citing legal constraints, and said they were working hard to address issues on the M5 which could contribute to such incidents.

Mr Hobhouse - who used to work for Network Rail - made his comments while chairing a meeting of the council's climate, environment and place scrutiny committee in Taunton on July 9.

He said: "I used to work on the railways. There are 300 people who commit suicide on the railways annually across the UK.

"The British Transport Police deal with it in a matter of a few hours - not eight or nine, it's two or three, because it is so regular that they have a proper system to deal with it.

"There are - excuse me for saying it like this - only 50 people who commit suicide on all the roads in the whole of the UK, and we need to learn from the British Transport Police."

Councillor Andy Dingwall (Conservative, Bridgwater East and Bawdrip) took umbrage with Mr Hobhouse's comments, stating: "Railways and roads are incredibly different.

"Railways have a track and the situation can be recognised for the tragedy it is quite quickly."

Andy Roebuck, Avon and Somerset Constabulary's forensic collision investigation lead officer (Image: Somerset Council)

Andy Roebuck, Avon and Somerset Constabulary's forensic collision investigation lead officer, also took objection to Mr Hobhouse's view, stating: "It is not like for like - they are totally different investigations.

"We operate totally different to the requirements of the British Transport Police. Your comment is valid, but their way is not comparative to the way we have to operate by law.

"Dealing with suicide investigation is highly traumatic for my staff."

Councillor Pauline Ham (Liberal Democrat, Cheddar) (Image: Somerset Council)

Councillor Pauline Ham (Liberal Democrat, Cheddar) asked whether changes could be made to the numerous bridges over the M5 to make it harder for people with mental health issues to put themselves in danger.

She said: "Prevention is always a better approach. Is there any consideration to putting fencing, wire meshing or whatever on the bridges?"

Ian Thompson, National Highways' lead officer for stakeholder relations in the South West, said that the agency had assessed more than 2,200 structures near the M5 to establish which ones were most "vulnerable" to that kind of incident.

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