THE number of traffic police in Essex has been cut by over 70%, according to official figures.
The total number in England and Wales dipped from 5,635 at the end of March 2010 to 4,356 by the end of March 2014, according to a government response to a parliamentary question.
Just two forces, Suffolk and Warwickshire, had more traffic police at the end of the period.
The RAC said the figures meant those breaking laws "will not get caught".
The Home Office said crime had fallen by more than a fifth under the coalition government, and officers had the right resources to enforce the law.
The figures showed the largest drop was in Devon and Cornwall, where the number of traffic police fell from 239 in 2010 to 57 in 2014 – a 76% drop.
In the 12-month periods ending March 2012 and March 2013, Devon and Cornwall had no full-time traffic officers.
In Essex, the number fell 71%, while in Nottinghamshire it dropped 68%. Wiltshire saw a 47% drop.
Essex Police Chief Supt Andy Prophet said: "Essex Police has a total of 191 officers and staff working in dedicated roads policing roles. These vary from traditional roads policing patrols, to specialist accident investigation and longer term casualty reduction and driver awareness training.
Last summer the force carefully reviewed the demand for roads policing and in September 2014 re-established dedicated roads policing teams across the county.
This review reduced the number of roads policing patrol officers from 140 to 80. However, prior to the review, the 140 officers were not dedicated to roads policing and spent half their time on other policing duties.
Now the 80 officers are now dedicated to policing the roads work and continue to be supported by another 111 officers and staff in other specialist road policing functions. Roads in Essex are safer now than they have ever been.
However, we continue to strive to drive down the number of people who are injured or killed on our roads.”
Nick Alston, police and crime commissioner for Essex, said his force had to use officers "where the most harm is".
He said: "The chief constable has applied a real clear understanding of demand. They have done the science, they’ve done the analysis, when do they need road officers on the road policing, and that’s helped hugely to have the right officers in the right place.
"It would be great to have more but we have to use our officers where the most harm is.
"It’s awful that nearly 100 young people were killed or seriously injured on our roads and we must continue to police that and we will. But it has to be balanced against the other harms to young people.
"We’re often talking about child sexual exploitation or online grooming. We need to use our resources where the most harm is."
RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams said: "These figures make a mockery of motoring law. If there are not enough police on the road, we can introduce all the new rules we want, but those breaking them just will not get caught.
"While cameras are good at catching speeders and drivers who go through red lights, offences that relate to general poor behaviour at the wheel still rely on a police officer to enforce them."
Last week, the Institute of Advanced Motorists criticised "many years of government cutbacks and the resulting drop in visible policing" after the number of people killed on UK roads rose to 1,711 in the year ending September 2014.
Neil Greig, director of policy and research, said at the time: "It is disappointing that after many years of solid falls in the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads, the government has taken its eye off the ball."
