Hundreds of police cars stuck in the repair shop

Between 2021 and 2024, the cost of repairs and maintenance for police vehicles at inhouse workshops was almost £11m

Almost a quarter of police vehicles are more than 10 years old, with an increasing number stuck in repair shops, a report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) has found.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has a fleet of 2,700 vehicles which clock up 27 million miles a year.

It told the NIAO there are significant pressures in providing vehicles for frontline services, whilst it also "recognises the potential safety risks associated with an older fleet".

Between 2021 and 2024, the cost of repairs and maintenance completed at inhouse workshops was almost £11m.

The proportion of the fleet in workshops on any given day has risen from 6% to 16%

The proportion of the fleet in workshops on any given day has risen from 6% to 16%.

The NIAO said "at its most extreme", almost 500 vehicles were off the road at a given time.

Four years ago, the PSNI launched a strategy setting out plans for the modernisation of its fleet, with the ambition for the average age of vehicles to be five years.

But this has not been achievable, with most vehicles exceeding the target.

Almost £26m has been spent on purchasing new vehicles since 2021.

PSNI fleet management 'critical'

Commenting on the report, Northern Ireland's Comptroller and Auditor General Dorinnia Carville said effective fleet management is "critical" for the PSNI.

She added: "Achieving the planned fleet replenishment rates within the current financial environment will be challenging, however, managing an ageing fleet is also costly, with potentially significant operational impacts.

"This report finds that progress has been made in a number of areas but that there is much more to be achieved, particularly in relation to the introduction of electric vehicles."

The PSNI had planned to have about 700 electric vehicles by next year.

As of last October it had 179.

Electric vehicles are said to be unsuitable for many roles within the PSNI, including an inability to carry the weight of armouring.

Assistant Chief Officer Mark McNaughten of the PSNI said the nature of its "current budgetary situation remains profoundly challenging".

He said the PSNI is committed to improving its fleet, "however, years of underfunding have impacted our ability to deliver on the outcomes set in the fleet strategy".

"The Police Service warned back in January 2023 that lack of funding for the organisation would lead to a reduced operational fleet, with damaged or broken vehicles waiting longer for repair," he added.

"This prediction is borne out in the report.

"We will work closely with our partners in the Department of Justice and NI Policing Board in responding to the report recommendations."