SHOCKING video shows a police crisis negotiator forced to run towards a suicidal woman on a motorway bridge – after the hard shoulder was blocked by selfish motorists.
Police were given the task of taking the negotiator to the scene of the incident on the M1 near Leeds.
The footage shows the police car making its way along the hard shoulder past a long queue of traffic brought to a standstill by the life-or-death emergency.
But the police are forced to stop short of the scene by drivers who, in their desperation to escape the jam, have blocked the hard shoulder.
The dramatic clip shows the crisis negotiator running away from the car in a bid to get to the scene as soon as possible.
Police today revealed that several drivers would be fined and reminded drivers not to use the hard shoulder for anything other than emergencies.
@Traffic_Dave, of West Yorkshire’s Road Policing Unit, took to social media to post the shocking footage yesterday, captioned: “Tasked with getting our crisis negotiator, urgently to an incident on the M1. The man seen running away from the Traffic car is the negotiator.
“Our path was blocked by the cars on the hard shoulder.”
“Please leave the shoulder clear for emergency services.”
The clip shows panicked drivers running back to their cars to let the police vehicle past.
The negotiator is picked up again about 100 metres down the hard shoulder and continues on his journey.
It is understood the drivers of a BMW, Passat and Honda on the hard shoulder were given £100 fixed penalty notices.
Another eight drivers will be sent letters warning them of possible prosecution for being on the hard shoulder.
PC Dave Cant was the driver of the vehicle in the clip, tasked with taking the negotiator from his home address to the scene near junction 45 of the northbound carriageway.
It is understood the negotiator, after talking to the woman for several hours, managed to talk her down.
PC Cant said only: “The footage says it all.”
The officer added: “The hard shoulder is for genuine emergencies only and to allow the emergency services, including Highways England to get access to those in need of assistance.”
“A life saved by the negotiator. . . with the help of about 30 others at the scene.”
