§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to contract out any of the functions currently discharged by the traffic police.
(2) what plans he has to contract out the convoy escort service for very heavy vehicles.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe possibility of using private escorts is being examined with the Association of thief Police Officers as one way of reducing the police's involvement in the escorting of abnormal loads of up to 150 tonnes. There are no current plans to change the escort arrangements for very heavy loads of over 150 tonnes. However, as part of the review of police core and ancillary tasks there is to be a review of traffic policing whose terms of reference are
To review the role of the police in enforcing the traffic laws and, taking account of the impact of new technology on the most cost effective use of resources, to consider what changes are desirable consistent with the maintenance of high standards of road safety and traffic management.