MET POLICE SPEND £1,107 AN HOUR ON VEHICLE RENTAL

1.44.35pm GMT Fri 13th Feb 2004

Simon Hughes

New figures revealed by Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes MP today showed that the Met Police spent £26,581 a day on rental vehicles in the last year.

The figures revealed in parliamentary answers to Mr Hughes shows that between August 2002 and September 2003, the Met Police spent £9.7million. The amount spent on renting vehicles has increased by 137% since 1999/2000. 431 new 17-seater minivans could be bought by the Met Police for the cost of renting vehicles over the last year alone.

Simon Hughes said:-

"It is surprising that so much money is being spent on renting vehicles. While it is inevitable that there needs to be some car and van rental for police transportation, it is staggering that over £26,000 a day is being spent to move our police around the capital.

"The Mayor along with the Met Police must adopt a far sighted policy to gain the maximum amount of efficiency in police spending commitments. Investing more in buying vehicles in the short term would increase savings in the long term and allow greater investment in front line policing services to tackle crime."

ENDS

Notes to editors

The figures are taken from Parliamentary answers - Hansard 15th May 2003 : Column 437W and 29th October 2003 : Column 268W