NU52 LNR is one of Cleveland Police’s Volvo S60s.

VN52 GHY This is a Vauxhall Astravan police support unit belonging to North Yorks. Police. It is not fitted with blue lights and is used primarily for non-urgent movement of equipment. It is liveried to increase police presence.

R313 TRH is a very odd vehicle: a Humberside Police community safety Proton Persona. This yellow / green car has been tastelessly liveried with sponsor’s advertising, diagrams and boasts about the benefits of running on LPG.



The rear view, showing more of the livery.

YJ53 EMV This is one of a number of large vans and trucks that North Yorkshire Police bought in November 2003. It is a Ford Iveco 55C15 and is used for prisoner transportation.



The rear view of the same van, showing the livery and tinted windows for the prisoners. Typically the vehicle would be used at large events (for example football matches) to contain arrested persons before their journey to the custody suite.



Inside there are three cells on each side of the corridor. There are access doors at the rear (shown) and on the nearside. Opposite the nearside entrance is a regular seat for the officer in charge of the cells. Super-secure multi-point locks and super-strong doors and walls make it all but impossible for a prisoner to escape.



Each cell is furnished with a plastic seat and a darkened window, but ironically no seat belt for safety reasons. The seat is integrated into the wall so that it can’t be removed and used as a ram or weapon and this set-up also allows easier cleaning of the cells.

R301 DEU This is Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s command unit. Built on a Mercedes truck chassis, the trailer body has an expanding section on both sides to increase internal space.

P672 XAG is a Ford Iveco Cargo Forensic Service Unit. It is used as a mobile laboratory and base for forensic investigators. Here we see the white coverall-clad forensic officers taking a tea break at a major crime scene.



A closer look at the vehicle, including a web of ‘crime scene’ tape.

X752 NWR is a North Yorkshire Police Subaru Impreza. This is one of a small fleet of 8 that NYP have for traffic police use. It is the Prodrive-tuned World Rally version giving it a 4.6 second 0-60 mph time and a top speed of 152 mph.



The side-on shot of the same car. In 2000, NYP replaced their Ford Cosworths with Imprezas as they are more suited to the twisting roads of the moors. The two lamps at the front, instead of fog lamps, give an extra 30 mph on unlit roads as you can see much further. The only disadvantage of this car is the reduced load carrying space for all of the equipment traffic policing vehicles need to carry.



This mean-looking car has all of the additional body equipment, including tail fin, skirting and bonnet air intake. Taking into account top speed, handling, stability, acceleration and cornering, the Impreza is the fastest police car in the UK..

NK03 NUP is Northumbria Police’s Harley Davidson motorbike. This unique vehicle was used during Summer 2003 for police duties, including escorting the runners of the Great North Run.



The rear view, showing the length and styling of the motorbike.

NK03 PLJ is a Mercedes Benz armed response vehicle. This estate car is fitted with bullet proof glass and a small armoury between the rear seats.



The rear view.

NK03 PPU is a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser. This police car was only on loan to Durham Constabulary in 2003, and is hence decked out in minimal livery, some current advertising and temporary blue roof lights.



The rear view. Introduced in July 2000, this striking vehicle has been described as a cross between a retro hotrod and a people carrier.



The side view of this unique car.

S854 KCU has been put out to clover as the short but hard life of police traffic cars demands.

R160 PNL is Durham Constabulary’s Ford Iveco Cargo flat bed truck. This vehicle carries the force’s livery but is equipped with amber flashing lights as is commensurate with its role.



The rear view, showing that there is enough space for an LDV-sized vehicle to be transported, or two smaller cars and a third being towed using the beaver tail.

NL52 YJR is a black SMART which is temporarily liveried and has a temporary blue roof light arrangement.



The rear view of this two-seater city car.

NK03 FSX is a Durham Mercedes saloon used for traffic policing.



The rear view of the above vehicle. It is refreshing to observe that even on this 2003 vehicle there are no battenburg markings.

BD02 FBC It is unusual to see a red police car outside of London, but here is a Rover belonging to North Yorkshire Police’s CID. Notice the complete lack of blue lights, meaning that to stop a suspect car, another marked police vehicle would need to be drafted in.



The opposing angle. The idea behind this (and a small number of other vehicles) is to increase the police presence on the streets where an unmarked vehicle is not 100% necessary.

T264 AFT is a 1999 Volvo S70.

NK51 DBV is one of Durham’s Suzuki scrambler bikes for off-road work. It has small crests on all sides and a small ‘police’ sign at the front. The rider would wear high-visibility clothing marked with ‘police’ as well.

This is a demonstrator of the Honda ST1300 Pan European motorbike. Honda liveries the bikes, and provides integrated blue flashing lights, sirens and most of the equipment.

JGR 687T is a 1978 Vauxhall Victor police car. It has a four cylinder engine and manual gearbox.



The side shot of the same car. The Victor was used by Durham from 1972 to 1980.

R448 JTN is a rugged Landrover Defender 110.

YJ03 NNG is a 2003 Ford Transit personnel carrier / prisoner transporter.



The side and rear of this van showing the eye-catching livery.

A Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Honda ST1100 motorbike.

A brand new and unregistered Peugeot 307 estate is awaiting the completion of its police conversion at Durham Constabulary’s workshops.

A BMW 530 traffic policing car on false registration plates.



The rear view.



This is a 53 registration Vauxhall Vivaro beat support unit. It comprises of seats in the front for officers and a caged area at the rear for prisoners.

NK03 FPL is one of a fleet of Vivaros used by scene of crime officers.

On Durham Police’s training skidpan is a navy blue aged Ford Granada, registration ‘skidpan 4’.

X553 WBB is a Mercedes M270 used to police County Durham.

ML02 HGC is a Smart police car from Avon and Somerset’s fleet.

R926 AWP This is a battenburged NYP Vauxhall Astra.

LV52 TTJ A 2002 Metropolitan Police Ford Transit van, used by community support officers.

LV02 HTL A 2002 Vauxhall Astra from the Met’s fleet.

A Met police outrider in central London.

VE02 JVC This is a Vauxhall Astra from North Yorkshire Police’s fleet. It does not carry any blue lights but is battenburg marked.



This is the rear view of the Astra.

X257 JNT A Ford Transit police support unit, based at North Yorkshire Police’s central area headquarters.



The rear view. This vehicle is used to carry items for policing purposes, but is not used for emergency responses.

W642 JJA A Vauxhall Astra from Greater Manchester Police.

OY52 RNA, PN52 XPW and W742 DNW are a line up of three North Yorks. police trials bikes. They are battenburg marked and are used to patrol areas that are inaccessible to regular vehicles.



The rear view of the three bikes.

D297 TGT This is a mobile police museum exhibition unit. It is a converted 1984 Leyland bus that was spotted in Teesside.

YJ03 NNH A North Yorks. 2003 Ford Transit personnel carrier.

S735 HUB A NYP Volvo S70 with a Vector light bar and amber flashing lights to the rear.

S776 MKH is a Humberside Police Vauxhall Omega estate.



The rear view of the Omega, showing the high visibility markings and Humberside livery.

Many Humberside traffic vehicles have light bars with a matrix sign in the centre. The lightbar on the Omega can only show two words, ‘police’ and ‘stop’. The front-facing sign is in mirror image (shown) whereas the rear-facing sign is written in the regular way.

P759 TTC Humberside Police decided to go with the lesser-known Proton Persona 1.3 LSi for their main panda cars. Here is one of their 1997 examples, somewhat lacking in livery when viewed from head on.



The side view shows the traditional red stripe of Humberside Police. This Proton is a sensible alternative to Ford’s and Vauxhall’s offering for beat cars. In 1997 Persona LSi would have only cost £8800 in the showroom, and even less when bought in bulk by the police.



The rear view, again showing the lack of livery.

YX02 NXR Humberside continued to get Personas for a number of years. Pictured is a 2002 plate example. It has been given a more eye-catching livery as well as blue lights mounted on the parcel shelf. Note that the body shape has not changed from the 1997 example.

YX02 GUW A Humberside Mercedes Sprinter van in riot guise.



The rear view, showing the wall of high visibility hatch markings on the rear doors.

S405 JRH Another Sprinter, this time in regular patrol livery. It has only two rotating blue beacons on the roof and dates from 1998.

N726 DAG A third Merc Sprinter 312D in control unit livery. This vehicle will be used by Humberside Police at major incidents as an office and communications base.

YA02 YBP A West Yorkshire Police Mercedes C-class estate. This type of Mercedes is not widely used by police forces in the UK.



The side profile of the same car.

A WYP Mercedes Sprinter riot van YG02 AVE and a Honda Pan-European motorbike W52 CWR escort a procession of war protestors in the centre of Leeds.



A closer look at the West Yorks. motorbike. The officer is overseeing the generally good-natured procession.

AJ51 XVP A WYP Peugeot Partner. This vehicle is different from other in the WYP and NYP fleet as it has windows all round, meaning no cage for prisoners.

NL02 VHT and S851 BVK are a pair of Northumbria Police Nissan Terranos. The 1998 model on the left has different livery, blue roof lights and bodywork compared to the 2002 model on the left.