A NEW army of traffic officers were today taking to the highways for the first time to beat congestion and make our motorways safer.

The jam-busting Highways Agency traffic officers, based next to the motorway policing unit at Samlesbury, will provide around-the-clock patrols over 118 miles of carriageway, covering the M65, M6, M58, M61 and M55.

Working alongside the region's police, the new officers are equipped with technology to deal with diversions, manage incidents and help police during accidents.

The new force will be made up of 40 patrol officers and 160 back-up and control room staff.

And with the same number of patrols out on the motorways as the motorway policing unit, the officers hope to double the efficiency of motorway policing.

Highways Agency traffic officer Daryl Bradder, 46, said: "We are effectively a safety service a second service to the police to deal with motorway safety issues to leave them to tackle the criminals.

"Each of the patrols will cover one particular stretch of the motorway to look for dangers in the roads or motorists who need our assistance.

"We will patrol each stretch of motorway every 20 minutes so can be with any motorist within that time and can see any problem that may cause traffic problems."

At present the officers have no powers to stop motorists or enforce the law, but with radio contact to police control centres, police back-up can be called immediately to any incident.

And unlike the police, who can travel up to 140mph on the motorway, the new traffic officers have to adhere to then 70mph speed limit and have been asked to keep patrols to around 50mph.

They also have flashing orange and red lights rather than the police's blue.

Highways Agency traffic officer Ann-Marie Heap, 36, said: "We can ask someone to pull over if we believe their vehicle or their driving is dangerous but they don't have to.

"If they didn't we would contact the police and they would then deal with the motorist on our behalf.

"We are effectively an extra set of eyes and ears for the police.

"Our vehicle is so highly visible that most motorists mistake us for the police so just by patrolling the highways we are having a calming effect by slowing down drivers and keeping the carriageway clear."

The new service is already operating on the motorway networks in Cheshire and Greater Manchester and will soon be extended to Cumbria and Merseyside at a cost to the government of £14.6million and creating 400 jobs.

Staff at the control centre will dispatch motorway patrols from out-stations, answer emergency roadside telephones and set overhead electronic signs, which give timely information about incidents and allow drivers to make informed decisions.