StreetCare or StreetScare?

The introduction of the Smart Car was presented to the members of the council as a safety initiative. The initial report said that it would only be used protecting school children at schools and on yellow zig zags and crossings. However, since its introduction this has been far from the case.

In a Town Hall press release dated 20/03/07, Conservative Cabinet Member Cllr Barry Tebbutt said “I have no problem with this car being used to target indiscriminate parking around schools and pedestrian crossings which poses a real danger to our children”.

Councillor Mann (Havering Park Ward) warned over 12 months ago about the possible future use of the covert cars and felt at the time they were introduced, caution should be taken and also warned that they should not be used as an income generator for the Council.

This initiative could pose a real threat to the safety of ratepayers in Havering. It is no longer possible to drop someone or pause to pick them up near the station without running the real risk of receiving a fine. In the year up to January 2008 there were a reported 3,271 crimes classed as "Violence against the person" in Havering, with 40 Rapes and a further 115 lesser sexual offences, 312 robberies against the person and 30 gun enabled crimes.

These are the streets that Councillor Tebbutt and Streetcare want to force the ratepayers of Havering to walk after dark. How far would our children, mothers, grandmothers and other vulnerable people have to walk from the station before a relative or friend can find a road without yellow lines so they can pull over for the few seconds it takes someone to get into a car.