They are a civilian service who respond to both emergency and routine incidents on the strategic road network operated by National Highways.

In April 2004, Highways Agency traffic officers began working alongside the police on motorways in the West Midlands.

Traffic officers are also issued a white collared shirt and black tie for appearances in court in the course of their duties.

The vehicles can operate in severe weather and carry equipment including emergency traffic management kits, automated external defibrillators (AED), medical trauma kits and other specialised equipment required to safely deal with a range of different incidents.

They are also fitted with Airwave radios, hands-free mobile telephones, alternating flashing headlights and bull horns to assist with progressing through stationary traffic on approach to incidents.

Traffic officers attend incidents ranging from live lane breakdowns and road debris to road traffic collisions (RTCs) taking the lead command role, except where there is an incident involving loss of life or life-changing injuries in which case the Police retain oversight.

[6] [3] Traffic officers must comply with the directions of a police constable, and to exercise their powers must be on duty and in uniform.

[8][9] Since 2008, traffic officers have had the powers to directly arrange recovery of abandoned, broken-down or damaged vehicles.

[16] Traffic officers can also remove vehicles that appear to be illegally abandoned on land adjacent to a relevant road[c].

Control centres answer the orange emergency roadside telephones on the motorway and trunk road network, liaise with breakdown organisations, allocate traffic officers to incidents, monitor the CCTV system, control the electronic variable-message signs[20] on the roads and supply information to the NTCC.