HAMPSHIRE’S police chief has come under fire from city councillors for failing to explain plans to enforce a new speed limit in Winchester city centre.

Cllr Martin Tod wrote to police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes for answers after the force told a council meeting that they wouldn’t prosecute drivers breaking the 20mph cap.

He criticised the commissioner’s lack of response to the confusion after police privately clarified that the limit would be enforced in some cases.

Officers can punish motorists if they witness speeding on routine patrols, it was confirmed, but are unlikely to be deployed with a view to catching drivers as the city centre is relatively safe.

Some civic chiefs labelled the £90,000 project pointless after the force told a surprised town forum in September that they “don’t enforce 20mph limits”.

Cllr Tod told the Hampshire Chronicle: “Part of the point of having police commissioners is that there’s a more identifiable public figure, responsible and accountable for the police policy and what they’re doing. It shouldn’t have required me to write to them to find out.

“If they’re not going to engage with the public on what the police are up to, you have to ask: what’s the point of police commissioners?”

Town forum councillors Ian Tait and Robert Hutchison agreed that Mr Hayes should have made the issue clear to the public after the meeting.

“Bickering between councillors may not be high on his agenda,” Cllr Tait said. “Whether it’s an issue or not, for the police and crime commissioner that’s what he is there to do.”

The police’s approach to the 20mph zone was clarified last week in emails between Cllr Tod, Mr Hayes and Inspector Andy Storey.

Insp Storey, of Hampshire Road Policing, said: “The reality is that police activity in 20mph limits may be infrequent ... but that doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t happen at all.”

Mr Hayes said that this was the case even before the 30mph limit was cut because police prioritise enforcement on dangerous roads and Winchester is a low-risk area.

The discussion, which comes more than a month after police said they wouldn’t enforce the limit, was published on Cllr Tod’s website.

Mr Hayes offered no comment when asked by the Chronicle about Cllr Tod’s criticism, but said: “Dedicated police speed enforcement activities are directed towards the areas where they will have the greatest impact in terms of reducing the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.”