Hertfordshire Constabulary has bucked a national trend by dramatically increasing the number of dedicated traffic officers on its books.

Figures obtained through a Press Association Freedom of Information (FOI) request show the number of traffic officers across the country has fallen by nearly a third in 10 years.

The results reveal cuts have accelerated in the past five years with numbers falling 24 per cent since 2012, while overall the number is down 30 per cent since 2007.

However Hertfordshire Constabulary increased its traffic officers by 44 per cent over the past decade, up to 95 officers now from 66 in 2007.

It was one of only five forces to increase numbers.        

Gwent saw the biggest drop, from 94 traffic officers in 2007 to none now. Northamptonshire dropped 83 per cent with nine dedicated officers currently, compared with 52 in 2007.

Gwent said it had amalgamated traffic officers into "multi-skilled roles" while Northamptonshire said it had "regionalised" its road traffic officers.