Traffic cops get foreign phrasebooks

Traffic police can translate offences into four languages

Traffic police are being given phrasebooks to help them deal with immigrant motorists.

Officers can use the books to translate driving offences such as speeding and drink driving into four languages.

Cambridgeshire is one of two police forces in England to use the translation guide.

Along with Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire has a large rural location and a growing immigrant population.

In both police areas, officers will be able to translate offences into Kurdish, Russian, Albanian and Farsi - the most common language in the Middle East.

New opportunity

The scheme was sparked by concerns some immigrants do not understand UK motoring laws.

Cambridgeshire's traffic reduction officer, Constable Paul Stubbings, said the scheme is useful as professional translators are only available in police stations and not out on the roads.

"Now at least there will be an opportunity in trying to communicate with them", he said.

"It's an attempt to try and give another tool to the traffic officer.

"It's become obvious in the last two to three years there has been a change in population.

"There are now a large number of land workers from Eastern European countries."

In the past officers have found some immigrant workers were unaware they needed tax and insurance in the UK.

Police says there is also concern about the drink driving rates.

Phrasebooks have been used by officers in the past to talk to lorry drivers from other countries.