THE region’s police forces have spent nearly £5m on car hire over the past five years, it is claimed.

Figures released by the Liberal Democrats, following a Freedom of Information request, show that forces in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland spent £132m on rental cars since 2004, averaging at more than £70,000 a day.

In the region, the Northumbria force tops the car hire table, spending £1.997m, followed by Cleveland with £1.049m, Durham – £719, 821 and North Yorkshire – £921,406 – a total of £4.686m over the five-year period.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne, who unveiled the figures, said: “Hiring cars at appropriate times can save forces money, but if they are being hired while police cars are not in use, it is simply a waste of taxpayers’ money.”

However, the police say they often use hire cars for undercover operations – such as drugs raids – because unmarked cars are often known to criminals.

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: “Transportation is key in policing and these figures reveal nothing about why hire cars may be used and provide good value for money.

“Obviously, marked police vehicles are used daily but some aspects of policing, such as covert work, need unmarked vehicles and hiring them can be cheaper rather than owning them.

“It can also be cheaper than using trains or claiming costs for using officers’ own vehicles.

Hire vehicles make up approximately eight per cent of all transport costs.”

No one was available for comment from North Yorkshire, Durham, Cleveland or Northumbria police.

In total, £132m has been spent on hire cars since 2004.

The Metropolitan Police, the country’s largest force, spent nearly £50m, with West Midlands Police spending nearly £10m in the same period.

Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Everybody knows that it is more expensive in the long run to rent something, so the police should economise and spend our money more wisely by buying cars rather than hiring them.”