camerasoff
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Reporting local life since 1854 37p Monday, August 1, 2011 SEN-eO1-S2 [P] [P] number of accidents increases. Carolyn Wheat, pictured above, lost partner Andy Taft, aged 50, to a road accident in Meir Heath, in Hospital fails on waiting lists THE University Hospital of North Staffordshire is one of the worst performing hospitals in the country because of the time patients spend on waiting lists. Figures show the hospital is among 16 trusts with the poorest records for guaranteeing people have operations and procedures within the time set by Gover nment. It is also one of only two in the West Midlands singled out by Whitehall for its non- emergency treatment delays. Patients are entitled to be under treatment within 18 weeks of being referred by their GPs. But the new statistics rank the hospital as failing in four out of the five performance indicators making up the target. See Page 3 Police officers under attack MORE than 1,400 police officers have been attacked while carrying out their jobs in the last four years. New figures reveal that so far this year 200 officers have been attacked. In 2008, there were 405 assaults on officers. The following year, that figure fell slightly to 387, but it rose again in 2010 to 412. The figures show three officers have been seriously hurt this year, two while investigating an offence of grievous bodily harm and one while dealing with an offence of malicious wounding. All the other attacks so far have resulted in either no injury, or only slight wounds. The bulk of the attacks, 121 since January 1, have been classed as assault. See Page 11 Only 29 traps working as councils slash funding SPEED CAMERAS SWITCHED OFF BY ALEX CAMPBELL [email protected] JUST 29 of the 262 speed cameras in Staffordshire are switched on at any one time, new figures reveal. Scores of yellow Gatso cameras have been switched off after councils cut funding for them at the same time as maintenance costs soared. Active components which allow the cameras to flash and issue tickets to speeding drivers are moved around the yellow housings to prevent motor- ists learning which ones are out of service. But information obtained by The Sentinel shows 130 of the cameras – half of all of the cameras in the county – are never in use. Speed cameras are the responsibility of the Stafford- shire Safer Roads Partner- ship (SSRP), which has had its funding cut. Staffordshire County Council has cut its contribution to the SSRP from £1.3 million a year to £368,000. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has also reduced its contribution from £335,000 last year to just £98,000 this year. At the same time the cost of main- taining the cameras, once regarded as a cash cow for road safety authorities, has increased due to the increasingly outmoded wet film technology. The partnership said it will review the 130 “low priority” cameras cur- rently not in use and could December, 2005. The driver of the car which was involved in the collision with Mr Taft’s motorcycle was later con- victed of dangerous driving. Carolyn, aged 50, of Meir Heath – who set up the Andy Taft Charitable Trust to raise awareness of bike safety the fol- lowing year – said: “It’s appalling. Speed cameras are there for a reason. They are not there to catch people out, or to raise revenue – they are there to save lives.” Retired engineer Tony Bloor was involved in a successful campaign for a speed camera to be installed in Trentham Road, Blurton, in the late 1990s. The 59-year-old said: “Speed cam- eras are required and they should be turned on.” But Sue Hardacre, aged 62, who lives on the busy A53 Leek Road at Endon and has been involved in community Speed- watch campaigns in the past, said: “I don’t think people speed as much as they used to. I think people are more aware of the penalties.” The SSRP, which includes councils, police and the fire service, was asked to comment on the figures. But it was only able to reissue a statement released several months ago when budget reductions were being finalised when they vowed to “maintain standards”. Councillor Mike Maryon, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, also declined to comment. Funding for speed cameras in Cheshire has also been cut. Cheshire Road Safety Group is expected to have just £350,000 to spend this year on speed cameras. The Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership, which folded on March 31, spent £1.5 million in 2010/11. What do you think? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk BOOMER’S BRIDE & JOY! PAGE 5 Picture: Clare Jennings 2-FOR-1 AT SEE PAGE 20 Token collect, terms and conditions apply switch them back on if the SEE BACK PAGE DON’T PANIC! TP won’t rush into signings ©NM WALKERS CANE CENTRE Largest selection of cane furniture in Stoke-on-Trent Tel. 01782 541112 or www.walkerswindows.co.uk for showroom details
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Tel.01782541112 SEE BACK PAGE Largestselectionof canefurniturein Stoke-on-Trent Reporting local life since 1854 BY ALEX CAMPBELL www.walkerswindows.co.uk forshowroomdetails Token collect, terms and conditions apply Picture: Clare Jennings number of accidents increases. Carolyn Wheat, pictured above, lost partner Andy Taft,aged 50, to a road accident in Meir Heath, in What do you think? Email us at letters@ switch them back on if the or thesentinel.co.uk [email protected] [P] ©NM
Transcript of camerasoff
Reporting local life since 1854 37pMonday, August 1, 2011
SEN
-eO1
-S2
[P]
[P]
number of accidents increases.Carolyn Wheat, pictured above,
lost partner Andy Taft, aged 50, to aroad accident in Meir Heath, in
Hospital failson waiting listsTHE University Hospital ofNorth Staffordshire is one ofthe worst performinghospitals in the countrybecause of the time patientsspend on waiting lists.
Figures show the hospital isamong 16 trusts with thepoorest records forguaranteeing people haveoperations and procedureswithin the time set byGover nment.
It is also one of only two inthe West Midlands singled outby Whitehall for its non-emergency treatment delays.
Patients are entitled to beunder treatment within 18weeks of being referred bytheir GPs. But the newstatistics rank the hospital asfailing in four out of the fiveperformance indicatorsmaking up the target.See Page 3
Police officersunder attackMORE than 1,400 policeofficers have been attackedwhile carrying out their jobsin the last four years.
New figures reveal that sofar this year 200 officers havebeen attacked. In 2008, therewere 405 assaults on officers.The following year, that figurefell slightly to 387, but it roseagain in 2010 to 412.
The figures show t h re eofficers have been seriouslyhurt this year, two whileinvestigating an offence ofgrievous bodily harm and onewhile dealing with an offenceof malicious wounding.
All the other attacks so farhave resulted in either noinjury, or only slight wounds.
The bulk of the attacks, 121since January 1, have beenclassed as assault.See Page 11
Only 29 traps working as councils slash funding
SPEED CAMERASSWITCHED OFFBY ALEX [email protected]
JUST 29 of the 262 speed cameras inStaffordshire are switched on at anyone time, new figures reveal.
Scores of yellow Gatso cameras havebeen switched off after councils cutfunding for them at the same time asmaintenance costs soared.
Active components which allow thecameras to flash and issuetickets to speeding driversare moved around the yellowhousings to prevent motor-ists learning which ones areout of service.
But information obtainedby The Sentinel shows 130 ofthe cameras – half of all ofthe cameras in the county –are never in use.
Speed cameras are theresponsibility of the Stafford-shire Safer Roads Partner-ship (SSRP), which has had
its funding cut. Staffordshire CountyCouncil has cut its contribution to theSSRP from £1.3 million a year to£368,000.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has alsoreduced its contribution from £335,000last year to just £98,000 this year.
At the same time the cost of main-taining the cameras, onceregarded as a cash cow forroad safety authorities,has increased due to theincreasingly outmodedwet film technology.
The partnership said itwill review the 130 “l owpriority” cameras cur-rently not in use and could
December, 2005. The driver of the carwhich was involved in the collision withMr Taft’s motorcycle was later con-victed of dangerous driving.
Carolyn, aged 50, of Meir Heath – wh oset up the Andy Taft Charitable Trust toraise awareness of bike safety the fol-lowing year – said: “It’s appalling. Speedcameras are there for a reason. They arenot there to catch people out, or to raiserevenue – they are there to save lives.”
Retired engineer Tony Bloor wasinvolved in a successful campaign for aspeed camera to be installed inTrentham Road, Blurton, in the late1990s. The 59-year-old said: “Speed cam-eras are required and they should beturned on.”
But Sue Hardacre, aged 62, who liveson the busy A53 Leek Road at Endon andhas been involved in community Speed-watch campaigns in the past, said: “Id o n’t think people speed as much as
they used to. I think people are moreaware of the penalties.”
The SSRP, which includes councils,police and the fire service, was asked tocomment on the figures.
But it was only able to reissue astatement released several months agowhen budget reductions were beingfinalised when they vowed to “maintains t a n d a rd s ”.
Councillor Mike Maryon, the countycouncil’s cabinet member for highways,also declined to comment.
Funding for speed cameras inCheshire has also been cut. CheshireRoad Safety Group is expected to havejust £350,000 to spend this year on speedcameras. The Cheshire Safer RoadsPartnership, which folded on March 31,spent £1.5 million in 2010/11.
What do you think? Email us at [email protected]
BOOMER’SBRIDE &J OY ! PAGE 5
Picture: Clare Jennings
2-FOR-1 AT
SEE PAGE 20Token collect, termsand conditions apply
switch them back on if the
SEEBAC KPAG E
DON’T PANIC!TP won’t rushinto signings
©NM
WALKERS CANECENTRE
Largest selection ofcane furniture inStoke-on-Trent
Tel. 01782 541112or
www.walkerswindows.co.ukfor showroom details
