This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Close passing of cyclists in Basingstoke'.




 
 
 
Joint Information Management Unit
Operational Headquarters 
Tower Street 
Winchester 
Hampshire 
SO23 8ZD
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Telephone   
Direct Dial
 
101  023 8047 9580
Mr Jon Pennycook 
Fax   
Text Relay
request-530952-
01962 874201 
18001 101
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
 
Email Address
xxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxxxxx.xx
26 November 2018
Our ref: 
CM/PA/002727/18 
Your ref: 
 
 
 
 
Dear Mr Pennycook 
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST 
 
I write in response to the above referenced Freedom of Information request submitted 
on 08 November 2018, Hampshire Constabulary has now considered this request, 
which has been repeated below and have responded accordingly.  
 
Close passing of cyclists is both dangerous  Hampshire Constabulary does not hold 
and off-putting - 56% of cyclists in a survey  this information in a retrievable format. 
said  "they  were  worried  by  close  passes".   The cost of determining if the 
Close  passes,  and  the  fear  of  them,  can  information is held, locating and 
put  off  new  cyclists  from  continuing,  and  retrieving the information exceeds the 
can  cause  experienced  cyclists  to  stop  ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the 
cycling  for  a  while  whilst  they  recover.    I  Freedom of Information (Fees and 
am  frequently  passed  too  closely  whilst  Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004. It 
cycling  on  my  way  to  work,  or  when  I  go  is estimated that it would cost more 
shopping  -  usually  on  roads  like  Hatch  than £450 to comply with your request. 
Warren  Way  (Basingstoke),  Brighton  Way   
(Basingstoke),  Harrow  Way  (Basingstoke),  In relation to question 2 of your request, 
Jays  Close  (Basingstoke),  Grove  Road  this information is not held in a 
(Basingstoke),  Pack  Lane  (Basingstoke  retrievable format as the recorded 
and  Oakley),  and  the  B3400  between  budget is not split within our safer roads 
Basingstoke and Whitchurch.   
department to enable us to provide you 
 
with a figure specifically for the purpose 
Waiting  for  cyclists  to  report  close  passes  of preventing close passes. In order to 
is not enough - not all cyclists have helmet  answer this question a manual review of 
cameras.  Many cyclists do not believe that  the budget would be required, to 
the  police  care  unless  they  see  proactive  ascertain how much is apportioned 
action by the police. 
solely for the purpose of preventing 
 
close passes. The costs associated with 
Can  you  tell  me,  for  the  area  covered  by  such a review, would far exceed the 
Basingstoke  and  Deane  Borough  Council  cost limit set by the FOI regulations.  
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
(including  Whitchurch,  Tadley,  Overton,  In accordance with the Freedom of 
Kingsclere, and almost to Hook), or for the  Information Act 2000, if one element of 
area  covered  by  Hampshire  County  a request exceeds the statutory cost 
Council  (i.e.  not  unitary  council  areas  like  limit, the whole request may be refused 
Southampton and Portsmouth):-  
on grounds of cost.  As such, this letter 
 
acts as a Refusal Notice in respect of 
1. What proactive action you have taken to  your whole request. This does not, 
show  drivers  that  close  passing  of  cyclists  however, preclude us from supplying 
is unacceptable?  For example, use of the  some information that is relevant to your 
"Close Pass Mat" on roads. 
request as a gesture of assistance and 
 
with this in mind we have provided 
2.  How  much  of  your  budget  has  been  some information below.   
spent  in  those  areas  in  support  of   
preventing  (as  opposed  to  reacting  to)  Information Provided  
close passes? 
 
 
Although excess cost removes the 
3. The number of reactive actions taken in  force’s obligations under the Freedom 
those  areas  after  close  passes  or  brake  of Information Act, I have supplied 
tests, e.g. charging drivers with careless or  some information below, relative to your 
dangerous driving? 
request.  I trust this is helpful, but it 
 
does not affect our legal right to rely on 
 
the fees regulations for the remainder 
of your request. 
 
In relation to question 1: 
 
Across Hampshire and Thames Valley 
the Road Safety Team have proactively 
been targeting drivers who overtake 
cyclists too close. We call this 
operation ‘Give Space Be Safe’ and it 
started following a visit to West 
Midlands Police who initiated it. 
 
In relation to question 3: 
 
So far we have run 16 of this type of 
operation and educated at our check 
sites 124 drivers of cars, van and 
lorries. We have been extremely 
proactive in terms of telling people we 
are doing this campaign by running 
media campaigns on TV, Radio and 
social media. Below is a link to one of 
our operations which was covered by 
BBC Inside Out and gives a good 
overview on how our operation works: 
 
https://youtu.be/k4qnxqDiDJs  
   
We have additionally taken our      
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
display and mat along to many events 
to show the public what we are doing 
and how we are raising awareness to 
drivers who overtake too close to 
cyclists. 
 
 
 
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS 
If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision made by 
Hampshire Constabulary, you can lodge a complaint with the force to have the 
decision reviewed within 2 months of the date of this response. Complaints should be 
made in writing to the Public Access office at the address at the top of this letter.  
 
If, after lodging a complaint with Hampshire Constabulary, you are still unhappy with 
the outcome, you may make an application to the Information Commissioner at the 
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire 
SK9 5AF, via telephone on 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745 or at the website 
www.ico.org.uk 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
Amy McDonald 
Public Access 
Joint Information Management Unit