The AA calls for 1,000 more road police officers

The AA is calling on the Home Secretary to appoint 1,000 new roads police officers to improve road safety and help tackle wider crime.

As part of its manifesto, Labour pledged to recruit thousands of new police officers to tackle neighbourhood crime. The AA believes 1,000 of these new recruits should form part of the road traffic section of forces across the country.

The request was part of The AA’s own Motoring Manifesto and follows AA analysis of the latest police workforce statistics released by the Home Office which revealed there were 4,215 traffic officers in England and Wales, a drop of 1,022 from the highest point in 2016.

Meanwhile, a poll of 11,469 drivers conducted last month found that 57% of respondents felt that drivers get away with careless driving due to a lack of police on the roads. Similarly, more than two fifths of drivers said offences such as using a handheld phone behind the wheel (44%), drug driving (42%), not wearing a seatbelt (46%) and using a dangerous vehicle (43%) are going unpunished due to a reduced police presence.

The AA

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA, said: “Be it driving offences or wider crime, public opinion suggests that too many people are simply getting away it. It’s clear that the public want to see more bobbies on the beat, so the government’s ambition to increase the number of police officers is welcome.

“We believe there should be a wider approach to tackling crime and that more cops in cars could produce safer communities as well as safer roads. A clear and visible presence is a deterrent itself to ensure better standards of driving, as well as sending a warning signal to criminals that the chances of being caught are higher than before.”