Published: 02 Feb 2010

The public have more confidence in the police and local authorities' ability to tackle anti-social behaviour in Surrey than anywhere else in England and Wales, according to the latest British Crime Survey.

As part of the survey, residents were asked if they thought police and local councils were tackling anti-social behaviour. National results ranged from 43.4% to 58.6%, with Surrey ranked top.

Surrey County Council leader Dr Andrew Povey said: "I welcome the news that thanks to joint working with the police, Surrey is ranked top in the UK. It is fantastic to know Surrey's residents have such faith in our efforts to make their towns and villages safe.

"This confidence is a reflection of the hard work we do together to make Surrey a great place to live, work or visit. One good example is our current Drive SMART campaign with Surrey Police to tackle the problem of anti-social driving on our roads."

Surrey Police Chief Constable Mark Rowley said: “It is excellent news that the partnership work between police, partner agencies and the community, which is at the heart of our policing model in Surrey, has led to such a high level of public confidence.

"I believe a combination of good local initiatives, countywide operations against anti-social behaviour - Operation Quake - and anti-social driving - Drive SMART - and a supportive public have made a real difference."

The British Crime Survey is a nationwide survey of people's experiences of crime, rather than just incidents reported to the police. Experts use both measures to try to get a broader picture. The survey shows public confidence in Surrey has increased 3.7 per cent to 58.6 per cent, which puts the county top of the national table compared to sixth in June 2009.

The year-long Drive SMART campaign was launched in September to encourage people to drive more considerately. The campaign targets a range of driving behaviours that negatively affect the lives of other road users or local residents. These include tailgating, bad or inconsiderate parking, using a handheld mobile phone at the wheel, speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt and generally thoughtless or reckless driving.