AGGRESSIVE road users in Surrey will be the target of an initiative by police to cut down anti-social behaviour on the county's roads. As part of a new initiative called Surrey Road Standards, Surrey Police has introduced petrol-pump advertising and a radio commercial, carrying the slogan "Don't see red on Surrey's roads". The campaign is being used to help discourage behaviour which angers or provokes other road users or local residents. Police say that anti-social behaviour on the roads often leads to aggressive, inconsiderate driving, raised anxiety levels and potentially serious collisions. To tackle the problem, police officers will issue road offenders with a "yellow card" in the first instance where an anti-social offence has been committed. If they re-offend they will get a "red card", which means they could be arrested and taken to court, and may even have their vehicle seized. Inspector Rick Lawn of the Surrey police strategic roads unit said: "Surrey Road Standards focuses on certain types of anti- social behaviour that could lead to aggressive or inconsiderate driving and potentially serious collisions. "Offenders can be assured that Surrey Police will be taking a robust approach. "We will be using the idea of yellow and red football cards to warn them that they potentially face summons, arrest and having their vehicle seized if they continue with their anti-social behaviour." Offences covered by the new scheme include excessive noise caused by loud CD players or screeching car tyres, and doing hand-brake turns, or using a motorcycle to do wheelies. Anyone found to be using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour words or hand signs likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person could be charged, and issued with the new penalties. Cycling on a footpath by the side of a road or illegally riding a moped, mechanically powered scooter or mini motorbike are also considered to be forms of anti-social behaviour which will no longer be tolerated. "We are working closely with our partners, in particular the Surrey County Council traffic and road safety group, to target 'low level' offending behaviour caused by the anti-social use of vehicles," said Inspector Lawn. "We aim to reduce collisions and make Surrey's roads and public spaces safer by getting people to take seriously their responsibilities for vehicle use."
