The number of road traffic officers in Northamptonshire have increased by almost 30 per cent since 2008, new figures show, but there are still fewer than 50 road police in the county.
Figures released by national charity, Brake, show the number of traffic officers in Northamptonshire increased by 28 per cent between 2008 and 2012, from around 36 officers, to 47.
Indeed, Northamptonshire Police has increased the number of road police in the county by a bigger proportion than any other force.
However, the statistic shows only Bedfordshire currently has fewer road traffic officers than Northamptonshire Police in England
The figures have been released after it was revealed forces across the country have been cutting road police numbers by up to 40 per cent.
The largest cuts have been in Bedfordshire, where road police have been reduced by 44 per cent, as well as South Wales and Dyfed Powys, where cuts are around 40 per cent, and West Mercia and Hampshire, where reductions were more than a third.
Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive at Brake, said: “It is desperately worrying such large cuts continue to be made to traffic policing, just as progress is being made to improve the law on deadly drug driving.
“Roads police officers do a vital job enforcing important safety laws and protecting the public - their work is proven to save lives and prevent injuries and suffering.
“Cutting traffic police is a false economy, because the crashes and casualties they help to prevent inflict such devastation and are a huge drain on public services.
“These cuts also undermine important progress being made by government to tackle drug driving - because as much as we need a new drug driving law and screening devices, we also need the officers out there to enforce it.
“We urge the government to make roads policing a national policing priority, to make sure we have a strong deterrent against the risk-taking on roads that can easily cost lives.”