Police recovery talks
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by Amanda Bradbury • A "second division" of six police forces is understood to be in negotiation with recovery trade associations to award them vehicle recovery work.
This follows the disclosure that Cheshire police this week signed up the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators and the Road Rescue Recovery Association for trials.
The further round of forces considering contracting out recovery, which will be announced in the next few days, are said to be "all major motorway constabularies and some of the largest police forces".
Competitor RAC says it is working with "around 30" forces—with two others on the verge of announcing agreements. 7 RAC has just signed up 150 contractors on three-year contracts worth £17m a year. The contracts are performance-related and guarantee minimum turnover levels, says the RAC. E Recovery operators working for the AA and RAC have at last been assured access to motorway service areas as the new regime of deregulation is about to hit the sector.
After months of uncertainty the Government has said owners of existing and new motorway service areas will have to allow access to the employees or agents of the two motoring organisations to carry out emergency repairs to members vehicles. But the Department of Transport is still considering whether similar rights should be extended to other motor rescue services.
The move follows last summer's announcement that every motorway service area in the UK will be sold off to the highest bidder while there should be sites at 24km intervals.