Its work aims to:
- Deny criminals use of the roads by enforcing the law
- Reduce road casualties
- Tackle the threat of terrorism
- Reduce anti-social use of the roads
- Enhance public confidence and reassurance by patrolling the roads
- Attend and investigate all fatal collisions
Intelligence-led operations use a combination of enforcement and education to focus on issues such as:
- Antisocial and criminal use of vehicles on the roads
- Drink and Drug driving
- Speeding
- Seizing uninsured and unlicensed vehicles
- Motorcycle, moped and scooter safety
- Commercial vehicles and the transportation of hazardous materials
- Un-roadworthy and dangerous vehicles
- Road safety at schools
Traffic officers often detect wanted criminals and those committing other offences as part of routine traffic stops.
For details on the work of the Traffic Unit click here.
Traffic officers are highly skilled in areas such as vehicle examination, driver documentation, collision investigation and dealing with hazardous materials amongst others. Their expertise and knowledge means they can identify dangerous drivers and vehicles and offer extensive road safety advice to drivers and pedestrians.
Traffic officers work from operational bases known as Traffic garages. The unit has over 680 officers based at six Traffic garages across London – SE, NE, NW, SW (two garages) and Central. Every garage patrols the boroughs within its area and addresses the particular road safety issues affecting the communities it serves by working closely with residents, local authorities and other partner agencies within the area.
To find out which garage covers your area click here.
Through a co-ordinated approach of education and enforcement, and by working together with partner agencies and communities within London, we can reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the Capital’s roads.