Durham PCC takes on new national role for road safety
PCC Allen has been appointed joint lead for roads policing on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), alongside Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe. This new role will put her at the forefront of road safety in the UK, providing a platform to campaign for policy change and legislative improvements at the highest level. The PCC is already joint lead for addictions and substance misuse on behalf of the APCC and leads on drink and drug driving nationally.
She is also co-chair of the National Drugs Lead Forum and joined the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove's Advisory Group 2024-25 earlier this year. Since being elected in 2021, the commissioner has consistently campaigned for stronger enforcement and legislation to improve road safety across the UK. She has addressed Westminster to advocate for mandatory drink and drug-driving courses, along with tougher penalties for those who cause death while under the influence.
PCC Allen is also backing the British Medical Association's efforts to reduce the drink-drive limit, highlighting new evidence that impairment can occur at levels lower than those currently permitted by law. In addition, she has called for increased investment in enforcement to prevent criminals from using roads in the region, supporting police efforts to combat serious and organised crime, county lines drug networks and other high-harm offences. PCC Allen said: "I am delighted to take on this important role alongside Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe.
"Road safety is an issue close to my heart and has been a priority since my first term. "Over the past four years, I have gone to great lengths to ensure Durham has the resources and technology needed to police our roads effectively. "Equally, I have campaigned hard to ensure our justice system sufficiently punishes those who recklessly gamble with people's lives and cause devastating tragedies to prevent them from harming other innocent people in the future.
"This new role will support this work and will allow me to challenge key decision makers in the heart of Westminster to protect our roads and the people using them in Durham and beyond. "It is a challenge I will approach with passion and unwavering commitment. "Every life lost is a tragedy and we must not stop until every motorist faces up to their responsibilities behind the wheel and keeps themselves and other road users safe."
As Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, Joy Allen has worked closely with bereaved families in her fight for legislative reform. She recently offered her full support to Karen and John Rowlands, from Durham, who are campaigning alongside other heartbroken parents for new safety measures including graduated driver licences for newly qualified drivers to avoid more deaths on the roads. Their son, Andrew, was killed in a car crash in June 2020, in a vehicle bought by a friend for GBP100 the night before which was illegal and unroadworthy.
Andrew had been a passenger and died from his injuries. The PCC has also backed a campaign brought by Shalorna Warner for mandatory lifelong driving bans for drink or drug drivers who claim lives. Shalorna Warner's eight-month-old son Zackary Blades and sister Karlene Warner, 30, were killed when speeding drunk driver Darryl Anderson, 38, crashed into the car she was driving on the A1 (M) in County Durham on May 31 last year.
She has also been closely involved in Mari Johnson's 'Life is Precious' campaign, which aims to stop people from using their mobile phones while at the wheel after Mari's mother and stepfather were killed on the A1(M) by a lorry driver who had been using his phone.