RE: Shoguns for Traffic Officers
Thursday 29th April 2004
Shoguns for Traffic Officers
Highways Agency gets fleet of 4x4s
The Mitsubishi Shogun has been chosen by the Highways Agency as one of two approved vehicles for its new force of Traffic Officers as they start their new duties patrolling England’s motorways. Initially to be seen in the West Midlands, the whole of England’s motorway network is expected to have Traffic Officers by the end of 2005.
An initial order of 11 Mitsubishi Shoguns has been converted to the Highways Agency’s specifications and kitted out in the official livery. The vehicles have been used for an intensive training programme for the 50 newly recruited Traffic Officers.
With around 1,200 Traffic Officers to be recruited in total, with an estimated additional 150-vehicle requirement, Mitsubishi Motors UK expects to supply more Shoguns to the Highways Agency as the scheme expands across England.
The new Highways Agency Traffic Officers will eventually be patrolling England’s motorways 24 hours a day, every day of the year with the sole aim of keeping traffic moving to help make journeys for the public as safe and reliable as possible. Assisting the police, Traffic Officers will attend accidents and help manage the traffic and will patrol the roads looking for and dealing with debris, broken down vehicles and any other hindrances that may impact the flow of vehicles on the road.
Discussion
I noticed that the vehicles are fitted with the orange flashing becons, surely if the vehicle / staff are attending some sort of incident those becons should be blue? after all every other vehicle seems to display the orange and half the time needlessly IMO. Is there not a risk that some motorists will not heed to a reasonable extent 'just another orange becon'? 
crankedup said:
I noticed that the vehicles are fitted with the orange flashing becons, surely if the vehicle / staff are attending some sort of incident those becons should be blue? after all every other vehicle seems to display the orange and half the time needlessly IMO. Is there not a risk that some motorists will not heed to a reasonable extent 'just another orange becon'?
Only the Police are allowed blue lights.
Hughesie2 said:
Had them around here for a while now patrolling the M25 round in herts, think they are based out of west Watford....
The depots are at Epping, Denham and Leatherhead.
There are 3 route stewards for the M25 as they've been called providing cover for the last couple of years, they were using Renault Espace's. This just looks like a more formalising of the role. There have always been officers on standby for incidents and this sort of thing, but with the traffic levels nowdays you need to be on the network immediately. When they first started they were doing 1000miles a day and were told to cut the mileage
What bloody annoys me is :-
a. What on earth do they need to spend so much money on big 4x4's for motorway patrolling??
b. Why is the govt not buying British cars, or at least British manufactured in cars??!
Pisses me off......you don't see the Germans or French officials driving around in any cars other than those made in their own countries. Why oh why do the police spend a fortune on BMW X5's?? Kent police all seem to drive Peugeots. Sorry - rant over.
a. What on earth do they need to spend so much money on big 4x4's for motorway patrolling??
b. Why is the govt not buying British cars, or at least British manufactured in cars??!
Pisses me off......you don't see the Germans or French officials driving around in any cars other than those made in their own countries. Why oh why do the police spend a fortune on BMW X5's?? Kent police all seem to drive Peugeots. Sorry - rant over.
jeremyadamson said:Because the cars need to be reliable? That's probably why they've gone Japanese.
What bloody annoys me is :-
a. What on earth do they need to spend so much money on big 4x4's for motorway patrolling??
b. Why is the govt not buying British cars, or at least British manufactured in cars??!
Pisses me off......you don't see the Germans or French officials driving around in any cars other than those made in their own countries. Why oh why do the police spend a fortune on BMW X5's?? Kent police all seem to drive Peugeots. Sorry - rant over.
AFAIK the Police use 4x4's because they give better visibility due to driving position, have massive load space for kit, can carry five people in comfort, have power and traction to pull vehicles (even HGV's) out of the way / to safety, and can operate effectively in all weather conditions.
The Shogun offers good value for money, especially when you consider to cost of a new Range Rover. Plus it would be historically more reliable than the Discovery, and would return better mpg and have lower service costs.
Just my £0.02
MOD.
The Shogun offers good value for money, especially when you consider to cost of a new Range Rover. Plus it would be historically more reliable than the Discovery, and would return better mpg and have lower service costs.
Just my £0.02
MOD.
And 4x4's will be good fun for us to watch on 'Police, Camera, Action' because we can cheer as the crooks get away when the 4x4 falls over at the first high speed lane change, or runs into something because it cant stop.
Personally I cant think of a more unsuitable vehicle for Police motorway work, simply from a 4x4 dynamics point of view, whatever happened to big powerfull saloons and estates?
Or are these just for the practical everyday 'clean up the mess' duties rather than chasing baddies?
Personally I cant think of a more unsuitable vehicle for Police motorway work, simply from a 4x4 dynamics point of view, whatever happened to big powerfull saloons and estates?
Or are these just for the practical everyday 'clean up the mess' duties rather than chasing baddies?
Balmoral Green said:You shouldn't be performing violent lane changes if you're a well trained driver though surely? A Shogun'll certainly stop someone reversing up your bonnet too!
And 4x4's will be good fun for us to watch on 'Police, Camera, Action' because we can cheer as the crooks get away when the 4x4 falls over at the first high speed lane change, or runs into something because it cant stop.
Personally I cant think of a more unsuitable vehicle for Police motorway work, simply from a 4x4 dynamics point of view, whatever happened to big powerfull saloons and estates?
Or are these just for the practical everyday 'clean up the mess' duties rather than chasing baddies?
Funny, my Shogun does mainly motorway miles (apart from the odd greenlane), and is easily the best motorway cruiser I have ever driven. The high seating position is great, enough torque to cope with anything, and the brakes enough to trash a Fiesta that was following too closely.
Lane changing is a breeze. If you can't change lane, then most things you hit will suffer more than you. I can tow an 8 ton truck if I had to, and cope with floods, snow/ice.
Maybe not quite so bad after all?
Lane changing is a breeze. If you can't change lane, then most things you hit will suffer more than you. I can tow an 8 ton truck if I had to, and cope with floods, snow/ice.
Maybe not quite so bad after all?
I drive a Shogun for my daily driver too, so does my brother, I have the GDI and him the DID. They are very good on the motorway, and the build quality is superb. The service costs are very reasonable too. IMO they are the best value 4x4 on the road, and would blow the socks off a Discovery apart from when doing serious off roading. The only real criticism I have is that I would prefer the car to have permanent four wheel drive, as with the rear wheel drive set up the Shoguns tend to under steer a little when you push them round corners 
As a comparison, myself and bro used to drive Range Rover DHSE / DSE respectively, and the Shoguns would wipe the floor with them, plus the service costs of the RR's were farcical. Didn't get the new RR as the price is ridiculous (though I appreciate they are excellent cars), plus the LR dealer wouldn't give any discount unlike the Mitsubishi dealer who bent over backwards to sell us the cars -
www.harratts.co.uk/mitsubishi/default.htm
They are the cheapest place I could find if anyone is interested.
Happy Friday everyone!
MOD.
As a comparison, myself and bro used to drive Range Rover DHSE / DSE respectively, and the Shoguns would wipe the floor with them, plus the service costs of the RR's were farcical. Didn't get the new RR as the price is ridiculous (though I appreciate they are excellent cars), plus the LR dealer wouldn't give any discount unlike the Mitsubishi dealer who bent over backwards to sell us the cars -
www.harratts.co.uk/mitsubishi/default.htm
They are the cheapest place I could find if anyone is interested.
Happy Friday everyone!
MOD.
Talking of the new Highway Agency Patrols I was stopping off at the Hilton Park services on the M6 when I spied these two 'Officers' doing some PR work in the Car Park. I had a long chat with them and thought I would like to be one in the future when they place them up North(Merseyside). The job looks interesting and quite well paid according to their website.As for the the vehicle...well. a Mk3 Range Rover Turbo Diesel!Furhter South I spied a Shogun on a bridge.Very Smart,both of them.
>> Edited by wirralriv on Monday 2nd August 19:45
>> Edited by wirralriv on Monday 2nd August 19:45
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff