Ubiquitous on the roads of India, the tuk-tuk is now making inroads in the UK. A Welsh police force has announced that it will be deploying a fleet of the three-wheeled vehicles to fight crime, the BBC has reported.
Gwent Police has said that its officers will use tuk-tuks for “day and night” patrols in Newport and Abergavenny.
The motorised rickshaws will be used to patrol public spaces like parks and walkways.
Chief inspector Damian Sowrey said the vehicles received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback.
“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,” Sowrey said.
“The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
“Parents told 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.”
Last month, a report from One Newport - a partnership between Newport Council, Gwent Police and other organisations – said the tuk-tuks would help residents and visitors feel safer by delivering high-visibility patrols.
Gwent Police’s fleet of four tuk-tuks is funded by the Safer Streets programme, which is a Home Office grant to support the police in crime-tackling initiatives.
The police force has not revealed how fast the tuk-tuks can travel, although several media reports suggested they top out at anywhere between 25 to 35 mph.
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