Number of roads policing officers falls by more than 1,000 in 10 years

Back in 2015 there were 5,237 officers across 43 police forces working in a range of roles from traffic units on the roads to safety camera partnerships focused on mobile speed enforcement. As of 2025, this has fallen to just 4,149 (1,088 reduction), making for a 21% drop.

Looking purely at police out on the roads or ‘cops in cars’, the reduction is greater with the number of traffic units decreasing by 1,116 from 5,005 in 2015 to 3,889 in 2025 (a 22% reduction).

And there has even been a slight decline in the number of officers dedicated to safety camera partnerships – or casualty reduction partnerships as they are formally known – with 42 fewer this year (144) than 10 years ago (186).

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s clear from our analysis that the number of officers dedicated to roads policing is at a 10-year low which can only be seen as bad for the enforcement of motoring laws. 

“Drivers we’ve surveyed express strong concerns about the dangers posed by others on the road breaking traffic laws, whether that’s speeding, drink or drug-driving, using a handheld mobile phone, driving in an aggressive way or not having tax or insurance. 

“While automatic number plate recognition cameras have become much more common in the last decade, not seeing as many officers in police cars lessens the fear of being caught breaking the law, which may explain why so many law-abiding drivers are concerned about the behaviour of others they share the road with. The deterrent value of ‘cops in cars’ should not be underestimated.

“We’d very much like to see a return to having more officers on traffic duty, or significant new measures introduced to crack down on those who break the rules of the road. With the Government on the verge of publishing the nation’s first road safety strategy for over a decade, we hope there are plenty of positive measures planned to cut casualties and keep everyone safe on the roads.”