ROADS policing cutbacks mean ‘minor’ traffic offences such as careless driving cannot be effectively detected, MPs have warned.<\/p>\n
A report by parliament’s Transport Select Committee suggested that a fall in recorded motoring offences may be due to the reduced number of traffic officers rather than improved standards of driving.<\/p>\n
Between 2005 and 2014, the number of specialist roads policing officers in England and Wales fell by 40% from 7,104 to 4,356, while the total number of motoring offences fell by 35% from 4.3 million in 2004 to 1.5 million.<\/p>\n
However, the number of offences resulting in death, which are always recorded, has stayed the same.<\/p>\n
“This is significant as this suggests that the reduction in overall offences that are recorded does not represent a reduction in offences actually being committed,” said the report.<\/p>\n
“There is a growing concern that the lack of specialist dedicated road traffic officers means that ‘minor’ offences such as careless driving cannot be effectively detected and enforcement action taken.”<\/p>\n
Labour MP Louise Ellman, who chairs the committee, stated that the fall in overall road offences “does not reflect an improvement in driving”.<\/p>\n
The committee urged the government to ensure detection rates for the most dangerous offences \u2013 such as drink-driving, speeding, using a mobile phone while driving and failing to wear a seatbelt \u2013 were high.<\/p>\n
Pete Williams, a spokesman for the RAC, said: “The sharp decline in roads policing officers appears to be having the very unwelcome effect of leading to fewer people being caught for illegal activity.”<\/p>\n
However, the Home Office insists that the police service has the resources it needs, and that enforcement of traffic offences is an operational matter for the police.<\/p>\n
“Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has been clear that there is no link between police resources and crime levels and effective roads policing is dependent on a range of factors, from better driver awareness to increased use of fixed penalty notices,” said the department.<\/p>\n