Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has taken on a new national leadership role to drive positive changes in road safety.
The County Durham and Darlington PCC has been appointed joint lead for Roads Policing on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), alongside Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe.
The new role will put her at the forefront of road safety in the UK and will provide 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 Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove’s Advisory Group 2024-25 earlier this year.
Since first being elected in 2021, the Commissioner has rigorously campaigned for tougher enforcement and legislation to increase safety on the UK’s roads, speaking in Westminster to argue the case for mandatory drink/drug-driving courses and harsher penalties for those who cause death by drink or drug driving.
The PCC is actively supporting the British Medical Association’s (BMA) efforts to lower the drink drive limit, raising awareness of new evidence that driving impairment arises at levels much lower than current legislation.
And she has also called for more investment in enforcement to deny criminals use of the region’s roads to help police tackle serious and organised crime, county lines drug operations and other high harm offences.
Joy 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.
“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.”