POLICE FLEET’S VINTAGE BANGER

Call for more car cash

A vehicle that is almost 30 years old is still being used by police in their fight against crime.

The car is the oldest in Police Scotland’s fleet and has been on the road since 1989.

Earlier this year, it was claimed officers were forced to use cars which had parts held together by duct tape.

Details of the police fleet emerged in a freedom of information request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Data released revealed a third of the police fleet was more than five years old.

Scottish Lib Dems justice spokesman Liam McArthur MSP called on the Scottish Government to make more funds available for police to update resources.

He also joked that the 29-year- old car may be an Audi Quattro – the vehicle in time travel police drama Ashes to Ashes.

He said: “People will be surprised to learn that the police still own a vehicle from 1989. Maybe it’s an Audi Quattro.

“It’s the SNP Government’s responsibility to ensure police can afford the kit they need.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “As well as protecting the annual core policing budget of over £ 1.1billion – delivering a boost of £100million by 2021 – and a continuation of police reform funding, we are also increasing the amount available for capital expenditure by 15 per cent to £23million in 2018-19.

“And from April 2018, Scotland’s police service will be able to reclaim VAT of around £25million a year.”