Police Scotland still use vehicle from 1980s

The Police Scotland vehicle fleet contains a car that dates back to 1989, it has emerged.

Surprised: Liam McArthur. Picture: Toby Williams

The existence of the vehicle has been revealed by a Freedom of Information request made by the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Data obtained by the Lib Dems showed that the oldest police vehicle was bought in 1989.

One third of the fleet is more than five years old, and the force has 95 cars that are more than a decade old.

Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “We’ve seen reports of cars held together by duct tape and cable ties, and this new data sheds more light on the state of the Police Scotland fleet.

“People will be surprised to learn that the police still own a vehicle from 1989. Maybe it is an Audi Quattro.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police Scotland is currently investing heavily in the modernisation of the current fleet, which was inherited from legacy forces and includes a number of specialist vehicles.

“In the current year we have spent £5.6 million and replaced 252 vehicles and in the next financial year we are due to replace 290 vehicles, which has seen the age profile since the creation of Police Scotland in April 2013 reduce from 6.34 years to 4.75 years in 2017-18.

“We also maintain a number of vehicles which are required for essential operational use, but may not travel long distances. A mobile police station at a murder scene, for example, may sit for some time without moving, but is still an essential vehicle, despite not having many miles on the clock.

“All vehicles within the Police Scotland fleet are assessed for suitability and reliability and are all maintained to a strict high standard.”