‘Savage cuts’ in police traffic officers casts doubt on enforcement of road safety laws

THE NUMBER of dedicated traffic police officers has fallen by nearly a third in 10 years, an investigation has revealed.

Experts have questioned how new laws, such as the ban on using mobiles while driving, can be enforced with 30 per cent fewer officers dedicated to policing roads.

A total of 30 police forces released figures following a Freedom of Information request.

The figures published today have revealed that cuts have accelerated in the past five years with numbers falling 24 per cent since 2012, while overall the number is down 30 per cent since 2007.

In 2007, there were 3,766 traffic officers in the forces which responded. In 2012, that figure stood at 3,472 and by this year numbers had dropped further to 2,643.

In Humberside Police, the number of traffic officers has fallen from 100 in 2007 to 60 today, a cut of 40 per cent. In West Yorkshire the number of traffic officers has gone down from 218 in 2012 to 133 today, a reduction of 39 per cent.

The number of traffic officers in North Yorkshire have gone from 94 in 2007 to 62 in 2017, a cut of 34 per cent. In South Yorkshire, numbers have been cut by only two and a half per cent with 76 today compared to 78 in 2012.

An AA spokesman said: “The UK has among the safest roads in Europe, although the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads has started to rise after many years of steady decline. Maybe there is a link?”

And Labour’s Shadow Minister for Policing and Crime Louise Haigh, added: “These savage cuts will deeply alarm the public as reckless drivers will feel able to offend with impunity.”

A Home Office spokesman maintained that the deployment of resources was a matter for chief constables and crime commissioners.

The spokesman added: “The Government has protected overall police spending in real terms since the Spending Review 2015 and we will always ensure forces have the resources they need to do their vitally important work.

“Effective roads policing is not necessarily dependent on dedicated road traffic officers. The use of technology, other police personnel and local communities also have a role to play.”