Ministerial cars get into an accident every three weeks

One Conservative MP blamed the state of London's roads for the number of accidents. Photo: Guy Bell/Alami

Ministry cars involved in The crash happens once every three weeks, The Telegraph reports.

A freedom of information request submitted by this newspaper revealed that the government's elite fleet of cars, which includes Range Rovers and electric Jaguars, regularly damaged in accidents.

Between January 2017 and October 2023, Department for Transport (DfT) data shows there were 129 accidents involving its vehicles.

This is despite what the government claims that «high quality», «safe» and «safe» travel for ministers and senior officials.

One Conservative MP blamed the state of London's roads for the number of accidents, while the Lib Dems called the data «staggering» and said questions needed to be answered.

Two reported accidents involving a cyclist, one of them caused more than £4,000 worth of damage to an electric Jaguar i-Pace.

A DfT spokesman said: “The NHS takes safety extremely seriously. No one was injured in any of these incidents.”

He added that while 129 accidents were reported, some of them involved criminal damage by a third party. All cars are insured.

Most of the accidents were not the fault of the car service, although there were a few cases where a ministerial car was rear-ended or crashed into another car.

“Simply stunning”

Tim Farron, the Lib Dem environment spokesman and former party leader, said: «When we said the current government was a car crash, we didn't expect them to take it literally.»

«Simply It is amazing how many accidents have occurred involving ministerial vehicles. The public deserves an answer to why this happens so often.»

In 2022, a Jaguar XF was apparently involved in a head-on collision with an unidentified animal, causing damage to the bumper, grille and trim. , which cost almost £3,000.

Six vehicles were recorded as having been damaged by security gates or bollards, and a Land Rover Discovery had to be repaired after being «damaged at a car wash». Greg Smith, a Conservative MP who sits on the House of Commons transport committee, suggested that the priority given to other modes of transport in London may be to blame.

He told The Telegraph: “Perhaps if London's streets were still accessible to cars, rather than cut off by cycle and bus lanes, accidents would occur may be less.»

The State Auto Service did not record whether any minister was in the cars during the accidents.

The State Auto Service did not record whether any minister was in the cars during the accidents .

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A spokesman for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “determined” to prevent deaths and serious injuries on the roads and ensure Londoners can travel “as safely, sustainably and efficiently as possible”.< /p> >