A police force has spent just short of £40,000 on four tuk-tuks. Gwent Police revealed earlier this month that it is rolling out the tuk-tuks to patrol parks, walkways and other public spaces in Newport and Abergavenny.
The tuk-tuks, or rickshaws, are fondly known for providing taxi services in some countries. Gwent Police's fleet will be driven by officers and ambassadors day and night to provide “safe spaces” for residents wanting crime prevention advice, to report incidents, or to reassure anyone who feels unsafe.
The force has now revealed that, despite reports earlier in the week that the tuk-tuks had cost them almost £70,000 - the true figure is £39,744 at £9,936 each. The vehicles have been paid for through funding from the Home Office.
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Officers claim the response in the community to the tuk-tuks had been “overwhelmingly positive”, but the news has been met with some derision online. One person commented: "If they are brave enough to drive one of these around certain parts of Newport, it’ll be burnt out and thrown in the Usk within the first week."
Another said: "Surely this is a late April Fools joke - why use a smokey old slow tuk-tuk, when there are infinitely better and clean electric vehicles they could use for patrolling parks etc?"
Chief Inspector Damian Sowrey said: "They were on show at our Behind the Badge day, giving local residents the opportunity to see them up close and to hear more about how they will be used.
"The feedback was overwhelmingly positive with parents telling officers that they would feel safer knowing that there was support for young people out at night, and from women who could think of an occasion when the tuk-tuk would have been a welcome sight."
The total vehicle budget for Gwent Police for 2022 is £3,149,000 - not including a £1,672,000 rollover from 2021, the force said. Tuk-tuks generally can reach speeds of up to 40mph and require a full licence to drive.
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