On Friday 3 May, staff and students in the Automotive section of Bournemouth and Poole College welcomed 10 cars, donated by Dorset Police.
After being made aware of the need for cars at the College, Dorset Police identified 10 vehicles to be donated to the Automotive department. These will be used by students to practice their mechanical and automotive skills.
The College contacted Dorset police with the request and our road casualty reduction team put forward the idea to colleagues; the idea grew legs - or wheels - resulting in an exciting and interesting dialogue between staff at the college and the police.
Automotive lecturers at the college drew up a wish list of their requirements for the type of car. The donated cars included a VW Touran, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Tuscan, Toyota Avensis, Audi A4, Chervrolet Tacuma. Some of the cars are petrol and others diesel, and are a combinations of front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and 4-wheel drive allow a wide skillset to be practiced.
James Hills, Director of Learning for Engineering at Bournemouth & Poole College, said: “It’s really good for the college to partner with Dorset Police as our students get both the variety of vehicles needed to train on and also crucial training links with the police to help keep them safe on the road in their own vehicles.
“This partnership will help build our students curriculum to give them the best opportunities for their futures.”
Inspector Joe Wheable of the Roads Policing Team said: “These vehicles have been seized for a number of reasons, such as no license or no insurance.
“Working in partnership with Bournemouth and Poole College allows us to give the vehicles a new purpose and contributes to a better learning experience for Automotive students.
“At Dorset Police, we’re dedicated to working with young drivers and providing essential road safety education. This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for the team to build and strengthen relationships with young drivers and we’re looking forward to continuing this valuable work.”
Dorset Police recover up to 4,000 vehicles each year and this initiative will allow Police to re-direct cars from the scrap heap to the classroom.
The Road Casualty Reduction team and the college are looking to collaborate further in the future on more projects, and are currently in discussions.