§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce a national motorway police force. [40616]
§ Mr. MichaelWe have no such plans. Road traffic offences and general criminal offences do not arise in clearly separate ways which can be independently514W enforced. It is an advantage that traffic officers deal with all crimes which occur on the roads and, conversely, that police officers on general duties can take action against breaches of road traffic law.
Separating the enforcement of road traffic law from other types of police work would generate operational difficulties and lead to the wasteful duplication of resources. Traffic policing, whether on motorways or other roads, is central to the overall police responsibility for maintaining law and order and preventing and detecting crime.