Two Northumbria Police Volvo S60s were written off in the accident, at a cost of around £80,000 each. A third was so badly damaged that it may also need to be replaced.
The cost of replacing police vehicles wrecked in the A1 pursuit could be as high as £250,000, it emerged today.
Two of the Northumbria Police Volvo S60s were written off in the accident, at a cost of around £80,000 each. A third was so badly damaged that it may also need to be replaced. The force has to ‘self insure’ due to the high risk of accidents with motor patrols. The high powered Volvos written off may need to be replaced at a cost to the public purse. The other two involved are believed to need extensive repair. “It is a disaster for the force financially,” a source said. “The vehicles cost anything from £50,000 to £80,000 depending on the kit on board. You cannot insure them externally as there is such a high risk of accidents in motor patrols, so you have to self insure or replace them.”
The cost was estimated at £200,000 to £250,000. The incident called into question tactics used in the pursuit, the source added. The driver of the BMW has been bailed.
Seven police officers were injured as a result of the accident in the early hours of Wednesday. One local resident on the south west Denton estate described the scene as ‘carnage’.
Locals heard helicopters overhead following the collision at 2.30am. The A1(M) was closed between Junction 73 at Swalwell and Junction 75 at Denton, Newcastle. The incident happened close to the spot where Northumbria traffic officer David Rathband was shot and blinded by on the run killer Raoul Moat in July, 2010.
Pc Rathband tragically took his own life in Feb, 2012, at the age of 44. The crash involved five police vehicles, one unmarked, and the dark grey BMW M Sport.
Police had attempted to stop a car in Whickham, Gateshead, around five miles from Denton, at around 2am due to concerns of how it was driven. The car was later sighted in nearby Swalwell, with Northumbria Police Roads Policing Unit sent to the area.
Five ambulance crews, the Great North Air Ambulance Service, and the Fire Service were all called to the scene. The seven officers taken to hospital had what were described as ‘non-life threatening’ injuries. Both occupants of the BMW were uninjured.
The road was closed for several hours, bringing long delays to commuters on Tyneside. A police sniffer dog was used at the scene.
Northumbria Police confirmed that the man had been released on police bail and the woman has been released and will face no further action.
On the potential costs of the crash, a spokesperson added: “Due to the ongoing investigation it would not be appropriate to comment.”
