Traffic officers get up to speed

M25 fully patrolled but trafpol disappear

By PH Staff / Monday, 13 March 2006 / Loading comments

Still not enough of these...

Traffic police may not be patrolling the roads much, but the Highways Agency (HA) reckoned that its new traffic officers, announced last year (see link below for original story) are now fully up to speed on the M25.

What it means is that traffic officers will now patrol the whole of the M25, after the service was introduced between junctions 14 (London Heathrow) and 17 (Rickmansworth) last week.

Patrols started on the M25, Europe's busiest motorway, last August and have been introduced around the London Orbital in phases. The Traffic Officer Service will also start patrolling the M4, junctions 1 to 5, to help keep traffic moving.

Roads minister Stephen Ladyman said: "The Government is committed to improving the country's road network, tackling congestion and improving management of traffic.

"Today, traffic officers patrol in every region in England and by the summer around 1500 staff based on-road or in one of seven regional control centres will be managing our entire motorway network, in an effort to ease congestion and improve journey times."

The 117 miles of the M25 will be patrolled by 50 traffic officers, in two-person crews on three shifts, and they will be responsible for managing road closures, stopping and directing traffic and clearing debris off the motorway as well as assisting drivers whose vehicles have broken down.

The on-road patrols are supported by staff at two Regional Control Centres in Godstone, Surrey (M25 Junction 6) and South Mimms, Essex (M25 Junction 23) who also answer emergency roadside telephones and set warning signs to provide motorists with information during their journeys.

Uniformed traffic officers began their patrols in black and yellow chequered vehicles between junctions 2 and 14 last August and this was extended to junctions 17 and 30 as the serviced moved in to Essex in October and Hertfordshire in January.

Traffic Officers work closely with police partners and today will take over some of the responsibilities from the Metropolitan Police Service, which has traditionally carried out patrols on the M4 (J1-5) and the M25 (J14-16). Traffic Officers will free up police resources to concentrate on tackling crime.

Superintendent Ian Chappell from the Metropolitan Police Service said: "We welcome the introduction of the Highways Agency Traffic Officers onto the motorway network around London. Combining our expertise will greatly enhance the service we, as a partnership, deliver to those who visit and live in London.

"The Highways Agency Traffic Officers will assist in the movement of traffic, the management of motorway incidents and free our police officers up to concentrate on our priorities - dealing with criminals, investigating serious collisions and challenging bad driving behaviour."

Fair enough as far as it goes of course -- but who's going to stop the tailgaters and other nutters?