PCC Joy Allen secures national roads policing role
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. Over the
past four years, I have gone to great lengths to ensure Durham has the resources and technology
needed to police our roads effectively. Equally, I have campaigned hard to ensure our justice system
sufficiently punishes those who recklessly gamble with people’s lives and cause devastating
tragedies to prevent them from harming other innocent people in the future.
“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.
“Every life lost is a tragedy and we must not stop until every motorist faces up to their
responsibilities behind the wheel and keeps themselves and other road users safe.”
As Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, Joy Allen has worked
closely with bereaved families in her fight for legislative reform. She recently offered her full
support to Karen and John Rowlands, from Durham, who are campaigning alongside other
heartbroken parents for new safety measures including graduated driver licences for newly qualified
drivers to avoid more deaths on the roads.
Their son, Andrew, was killed in a car crash in June 2020, in a vehicle bought by a friend for £100
the night before which was illegal and unroadworthy. Andrew had been a passenger and died from
his injuries.
The PCC has also backed a campaign brought by Shalorna Warner for mandatory lifelong driving
bans for drink or drug drivers who claim lives.
Shalorna Warner’s eight-month-old son Zackary Blades and sister Karlene Warner, 30, were
killed when speeding drunk driver Darryl Anderson, 38, crashed into the car she was driving on the
A1 (M) in County Durham on May 31 last year.
She has also been closely involved in Mari Johnson’s ‘Life is Precious’ campaign, which aims to
stop people from using their mobile phones while at the wheel after Mari’s mother and stepfather
were killed on the A1(M) by a lorry driver who had been using his phone.
The PCC insists dangerous driving behaviours such as speeding and driving under the influence of
drink or drugs are often linked to broader patterns of criminality and harm.
She said tackling criminal use of the roads is essential to protecting law-abiding road users and
enhancing public safety.
Joy Allen said: “I’m keen to support road safety campaigners and especially bereaved families who
are calling for a change of the law to prevent more people being killed or seriously injured on our
roads. We must do everything we can to protect all road users and pedestrians.”
