Police chief's M4 crashes threat

South Wales Police say they have been warning for two years they were facing cuts without more funding

A senior police officer has said her force will stop responding to accidents on the M4 from April - unless dedicated traffic officers are introduced.

South Wales Police chief constable Barbara Wilding said the force could no longer afford to direct traffic or clear debris after routine crashes.

Ms Wilding also said that without more funds she would have to charge major event promoters full policing costs.

These would include pop concerts, football and rugby matches.

Speaking to BBC Wales, Ms Wilding said she had been telling senior assembly government ministers for two years that the force would be facing cuts in the services it delivers without more money, but to no avail.

The work of dealing with accidents, directing traffic and clearing debris should either be done by new traffic officers from the Highways Agency, or be funded through extra money for policing, she said.

"We will be building a business case to the Welsh Assembly Government to say if you want us to carry on policing the motorway, responding to those issues, then you must pay for it," said Ms Wilding.

"If you don't pay for it, we will no longer be doing it.

"We will be on the motorway to keep crime...off the roads, and deny criminals the use of the roads, of course we will, but not for accidents or debris - they must find another way of dealing with that unless they pay for it."

Chief constable Barbara Wilding says South Wales Police will have to stop doing certain things

Ms Wilding also said that without funding increases, she would be forced to charge promoters of major events in Cardiff, such as rugby matches and pop concerts, the full policing costs.

She also suggested the number of events during royal visits to south Wales may have to be scaled back due to pressures on her budget.

"We will start charging for the major events, we will have to, because at the moment, our policing levels are going down to 1974 figures," she said.

Ms Wilding gave an example of the recent Cardiff versus Swansea football match, which she said cost