Uniformed officers will cruise the motorways looking for trouble

The uniformed Highways Agency officers will travel up and down looking for potential trouble spots.

The 24-hour cover will deal with accidents, diversions and transporting heavy loads in an attempt to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, announcing the patrols on Friday, said the move of some traffic management powers from the police to the Highways Agency would simplify the way the motorways were run.

But he said the police would remain entirely responsible for law enforcement and accident investigation.

This will ensure motorists are given the best possible traffic information so that time stuck in jams is kept to a minimum Alistair Darling Transport Secretary

"Currently 42 individual police forces manage traffic on our roads - taking up valuable police time on traffic management," said Mr Darling.

"By simplifying traffic management arrangements we can take a more strategic and co-ordinated view of congestion across the network.

"This will free up police time for law enforcement and ensure motorists are given the best possible traffic information so that time stuck in jams is kept to a minimum."

Crime focus

A network of regional control centres is to be set up in England.

The first, based in Birmingham and covering the West Midlands, is due to be up and running by early next year.

The freeing up of police officers to do other work was welcomed by the police and the Conservatives.

"Currently a significant amount of police time is spent managing traffic on the road network," said Stephen Green, of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

"By releasing police officers from traffic duties, they will be able to spend more time and resources dealing with crime.

"In total, these new plans will free up the equivalent of £20 million each year - the work of 540 police officers."

In the past our response has had too many heads - this action will slay that old roads Hydra Richard Turner Freight Transport Association

Shadow transport secretary Tim Collins said: "It is a perfectly sensible idea to free up the police so that they can concentrate on tackling crime.

"However, it is a sad reflection of the consequences of six years of utter neglect of our roads system that we now need an entirely new team of government officials to try to get traffic moving again."

Lorry drivers said it was "vital" that motorway policing was controlled under one roof.

Freight Transport Association chief executive Richard Turner said: "When a problem occurs it is essential that a single person is in charge and takes control and co-ordinates the actions of the many agencies involved, thus restoring safe flow as quickly as is possible.

"In the past our response has had too many heads, where one is best and needed. This action will slay that old roads Hydra."