In late February 2022, traffic management operative Kev Jarvis was killed on the M6 J14-15 near Stoke after a member of public crashed into his vehicle during a police chase.

Every year the police undertake many thousands of pursuits and many millions of responses involving blue flashing lights and sirens being engaged. Statistics from the Police Federation indicate at least 13,000 pursuits and 8,000,000 responses happen each year.

In some circumstances the police may direct a pursuit onto the motorway or trunk road and away from populated areas to reduce the risk to vulnerable road-users such as cyclists and pedestrians, but this can direct pursuits in the direction of roadworkers.

The risk roadworkers are exposed to by pursuits varies by site. The traffic management equipment used, where on site roadworkers are located and the role performed all impact the risk.

For operators of large items of surfacing plant, on sites where vario-guard separates live traffic from roadworkers the risk of harm is low.

For ground-based operatives working on sites where only plastic road cones separate them from live traffic the risk of harm is much greater

Over the last few years, we have experienced high-speed police chases passing through or passing by our contracting sites. Fortunately, none of these led to harm.

To help maintain your safety during police pursuits, please follow the points below:

• Where you observe blue flashing lights or hear police sirens heading towards your location, assume it is a police pursuit until confirmed otherwise.
• Look around for safer places accessible to you in the time you have available. A couple of examples which may be available to you, for example
  • The non-traffic side of vehicle restraint systems or over-bridge piers and abutments.
  • The non-traffic side of heavy plant or vehicles
• Where you are moving to a safer place, take care and avoid putting yourself at risk in getting there and being there – e.g. do not rush between moving items of plant or site vehicles.
• Continue to monitor the situation, assess how safe your place is and move location as needed.
• Stay in your safer place until the police have passed by or until confirmed it is not a pursuit.