Freda gets an upgrade

6th Aug 2019
Freda gets makeover

 

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Ian Taylor has a refreshed mode of transport as his van is given a new look with a dramatic makeover by the Brackmills BID team.

The 2005 Ford Transit Connect van, formerly used by the Safer Roads Team as a service vehicle for speed camera sites, is sponsored by Brackmills BID and used exclusively by PCSO Ian, which means he can travel easily around the estate and respond promptly to concerns and business requests.

Ian said: “The van’s registration is KX55 FRD and it was originally nicknamed Fred by the Safer Roads Team. Since her refurb though we have renamed her ‘Freda’ and she is continuing to make a huge difference to my day to day job and the estate as a whole.

“She is extremely useful as a high visibility deterrent and acts as a crime prevention tool. Not only has Freda become a mobile office for myself, she has also helped me transport seized and stolen items and been used to escort lost and large vehicles. Overall, she is a superb addition to the team.”

The decision to refurbish the vehicle was taken after Brackmills businesses voted yes to a third term as a Business Improvement District (BID) earlier this year. As well as a thorough clean Freda now has a new livery, trim and emergency lighting.

It was in March 2019 that businesses were asked to cast their vote and answer the question – ‘Do you want to vote yes to another five years as a BID?’ 

The answer was a resounding yes, with nearly half of the estate’s businesses casting their vote and 90% of these businesses voting yes to a third term as a Business Improvement District (BID).

The Northampton estate, thanks to its status as a BID, has been able to fund dramatic improvements on the estate for the last decade. These have helped turn Brackmills from a decaying, crime-ridden area into a clean, green, safe and secure estate with a record low level of crime.