Northumbria Police Bikes

[AdamA]

did you also know that there is only ONE paramedic biker left too in the North East. They also had the same excuse i believe

To be fair bike paramedics work best in an urban environment where they can scythe through traffic but a big truck with all the kit they can't carry in it won't be too far behind.

In the countryside where backup may be quite some time an RRV tends to be the best bet.

A bike can't carry anywhere near the kit an RRV can, and will only get on scene marginally quicker out of an urban area, and often slower if the weather isn't the best.

 

[flatvee]

I work with an ex Northumbria bike cop and he reckons they've been trying to get rid of them for years and with the current chief con, being particularly anti-bike this time they've managed to pull it off.

He says it'll only be a matter of time before they need them again though, like Bryn mentioned because of royal escort and prison van duties.

 

[Mr K]

I work with an ex Northumbria bike cop and he reckons they've been trying to get rid of them for years and with the current chief con, being particularly anti-bike this time they've managed to pull it off.

He says it'll only be a matter of time before they need them again though, like Brynn mentioned because of royal escort and prison van duties.

Must agree: Number of times bikes run escort on prison vans into the courts is like every other day..?

Can't get across the Tyne Bridge in a car most days.

Military Convoy escort to or from Otterburn?

Up-coming shift of 2 large winches from (ship)yard to (ship)yard on the Tyne (Wallsend)..

Short sighted and flawed decission....

 

[AdamA]

Military Convoy escort to or from Otterburn?

We have RMP for that job.

The only military convoys that need escorting in general tho are tank transporters and they get done by their own outriders.

 

[NorthernBoy]

They get expensive, fast cars to play with up here.

I was done by an unmarked Focus on the Spine road a few years back.

With hindsight, I wish I'd "not noticed" it, as I was in a very fast Audi, and they turned their lights on a long way behind me.

I'd done 295 miles, and was 2 from home...

 

[NorthernBoy]

He says that there's nothing the bikes do that the cars can't do.... Maybe that is the case but quite a few tasks would be bordering on dangerous in a car

How about

Royal escorts ( regular occurance for us)
Prison van escorts etc...

This is a very good point. Down here in London, I often see the police out ahead of a convoy, stopping traffic and clearing junctions, so that the cars behind can sweep cleanly through. You just can't do that in a car.

I think that it is a real shame that they are ding this. Yes, it means that we can get away with murder now, but frankly, so can all the drivers who are out to maim us. Overall, I don't see it being a good thing for anyone.

 

[wassy]

My understanding is that the current senior management team wanted to retain the bikes for cat A escorts etc but use the bike section officers for traffic work in cars the rest of the time.
Anyone who has ever been involved in this type of motorcycle work knows that you have to constantly train and trust the team you work with not just jump on a bike after weeks or months in a car.
This was pointed out to the smt who manipulated it into a health and safety issue hence the outcome.
The bikes have been sold. Some were at the G20 after being bought by another force.

 

[typonaut]

Not sure where all these bikes went, most of them were ST1100s - a bit ancient and not the best looking (ie a bit rough). There were a couple of FJR1300s, 2007 with 6-7,000 miles. I rode one back from Newcastle to London, nice bike, but I think I'd personally prefer a ST1300.

I think this type of disbanding of the motorcycle section has happened before, Kent in the late 90s I believe. But then they reinstated it (I know, because I bought Kent ST1300s last year). Not sure what the status there is now though.

In London you absolutely need a motorcycle section, because you always have a fair amount of VIP escort duties and a bike escort is the only way to get across town (at street level) in a hurry). In place like Northumbria, as others have pointed out, I think it is at best debatable - a few minutes from central Newcastle and you're on fast A roads, in London even the three lane A roads can be crawling along.

The other day in Park Lane I saw a dozen police bikes chasing each other up the road (no one else in sight!?), sirens and lights going.

 

[Neil W]

Bikes that were left went through Mannhiem auctions last week , £6500 plus for the FJR's and the older (knackered) ST1100's were still going for £1500 plus.
The new stuff went to another force.

 

[original_concept]

I must admit, the traffic levels in Northumbria are so light, and Newcastle is such a quiet city bikes just aren't needed. I can't see the police do much in the way of VIP transfers up here either. The only places I can think a bike (trallie) would be useful is on the open countryside or in the estates. Saying that, the helicopter can cover it instead [1].

Essex only recently re-introduced marked bikes (a very small number), but they also have unmarked black K1200S etc, luckily they stand out a mile thanks to hi-vis, white helmets and parked by the side of the M11


[1] police choppers are the worst noise polluters I can think of these days.

 

[original_concept]

The other day in Park Lane I saw a dozen police bikes chasing each other up the road (no one else in sight!?), sirens and lights going.

Looks fookin' cool though.

I saw the Met with Le Flics moto escorting the Black Cabs on their charity run to France coming out of London down the A13 to the M25 last year, looked like they were having a ball doing it.

 

[magpie]

Police bosses who axed motorcycles on safety grounds had to call in another force’s bike unit to escort the Prime Minister.

Northumbria Police chiefs had claimed motorcycles were too dangerous for officers to use and that cars could do any job just as well.

But within days of disbanding the £200,000 fleet they decided bikes were needed after all for Gordon Brown’s visit - and were happy for officers from neighbouring Durham to risk riding them.

A Northumbria Police insider said Number 10 had insisted on a motorcycle escort for the Prime Minister’s May 27 visit to North Shields.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “It was agreed in advance that Durham Police would provide the escort for the whole of the visit.

 

[typonaut]

Bikes that were left went through Mannhiem auctions last week , £6500 plus for the FJR's and the older (knackered) ST1100's were still going for £1500 plus.
The new stuff went to another force.

I'm not sure there's really such a thing as a truly knackered ST1100

If you watch eBay prices on these bikes people who break them up seem to be willing to give £1,000 or so for them (as long as they are complete).

The Northumbria ST1100s certainly weren't the worst I've seen, but I didn't want any of them (the nicest one made £2,350 or so).

If anyone wants a really nice FJR1300 with only 6,300 miles on it, then I'll match the auction price Neil’s quoting!

 

[MacFarlane]

Whoops

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2009/06/17/move-to-axe-police-bikes-left-force-exposed-72703-23898769/

Nice SP2 though?