AA patrols get on two wheels to tackle record city congestion

Date published: 03/04/2008

Chronic congestion has reached record levels in cities across the UK, with Mancunian motorists suffering some of the slowest traffic in the country. In response, the AA is introducing patrols on electric scooters and motorbikes to tackle the problem.

The UK’s biggest breakdown organisation today launches a trial that will see patrols use bikes to cut through traffic and reach breakdowns. Starting in central London, where traffic speeds in the morning peak are at their lowest in 40 years*, the bikes could be rolled out in other cities too, if the trial proves successful. This would include Manchester, where the traffic speed of just 18.3mph makes it one of the slowest cities in the UK, as revealed in the AA’s “City Speed League Table”, compiled in conjunction with Trafficmaster:

Average traffic speed (mph)

• Bristol 16.8
• London 16.9
• Glasgow 17.3
• Southampton 17.8
• Liverpool 17.8
• Manchester 18.3
• Cambridge 18.8
• Birmingham 19.4
• Sheffield 19.6
• Cardiff 21.8
• Newcastle 24.0
  Source: Trafficmaster**

Edmund King, President of the AA, says: “On busy city roads, one flat tyre can delay thousands of motorists and further aggravate congestion. By cutting through traffic, AA bike patrols will reach breakdowns in London more quickly and get our members and other drivers back on the move with the minimum delay.

“We need radical action to beat record slow traffic in our cities and decided that two wheels are quicker than four. By fixing breakdowns more quickly, we will improve service to our members, and help reduce congestion and emissions. Our analysis of traffic speeds in major cities shows that congestion is not just a London problem with Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow less than 2 mph quicker than London.

“Given the national scale of the problem, we want to assess the success of the trial quickly, and hope to be able to use bike patrols to assist AA members in Manchester in the future.”

The bike patrols will target ‘quick fix’ breakdowns such as flat batteries, wheel changes and simple electrical faults. These problems cause over a third of the 3.6 million breakdowns attended by the AA each year, often causing lengthy traffic jams.

The new bikes – which include environment friendly zero-emission electric scooters – are expected to cut up to 25 per cent from peak time breakdown wait times. The AA’s response times are already market-leading as supported by a recent Which? survey.

Stewart Topp, AA motorbike patrol, says: “I am passionate about motorbikes and love my job as an AA patrol, so being a motorbike patrol for the AA brings these two areas together. I am still there to help members with breakdown problems – just without my usual van! The response from the public has been fantastic. They all seem excited to see us out and about on the bikes.”