THE number of people caught for dangerous driving offences has fallen in Inverclyde.

Figures presented to the police and fire scrutiny board showed there has been a decrease in dangerous driving, speeding and insurance crimes compared with the previous year.

The road policing unit was relocated to Govan in October 2018 after a review decided that Inverclyde would get better coverage from Glasgow.

Councillor Christopher Curley said: "Concerns were raised at the last meeting about where police are now based.

"My concern is that the traffic police spend less time in Inverclyde, leading to a false reduction in speeding and other traffic offences as there is less enforcement.

"We need to ensure that enforcement is not reduced.

"Figures show a decrease in offences here but an increase in Renfrewshire. This could imply that the traffic policing resources are being deployed more there than here."

The report said that dangerous diving was down by 41.2 per cent, speeding fell 37.2 per cent and insurance offences dropped 38.3 per cent.

However there was an increase in disqualified driving detections of 25 per cent. Drivers caught not wearing a seat belt locally rose from eight to 25.

Detections for drunk/drug driving was down by 85 per cent and motorists caught using a mobile phone dropped by 33 per cent.

There was one reported death during 2018/2019 but at the meeting this was revealed that was due to a medical condition.

The number of people seriously injured people in Inverclyde road accidents rose to 11.

Councillor Jim Clocherty said: "We viewed it as a positive thing when road policing moved from Dumbarton to Inverclyde, so when it moved from Inverclyde it was viewed as a negative thing.

"There is a feeling that the M8 stops on our doorstep and there is the general feeling we are not getting the service we should be getting."

He said, as a representative of a local authority, he could understand cutbacks and underfunding in public services.

Councillor Clocherty added: "We has two crashes in the last week in Ward 4 and we know how important road safety is. There is a feeling that we are being shortchanged and not getting the service we deserve."

Chief Superintendent Alan Murray replied: "On behalf of this division, policing, the fire service and the NHS, there is never enough resources but with regards to road policing Renfrewshire and Inverclyde is receiving a least a fair slice of the cake.

"It is more about moving about the divisional officers and road policing unit so they can work better together."