AA bosses have been criticised for axing uniformed night patrols after the company this week adopted a new call-out system for the hours between 2am and 6am.

Breakdowns during those hours will be attended by staff on a ‘pay-per-job’ basis or local contractors in non-AA vehicles.

The GMB union said the new ‘cost-cutting mentality’ of Permira, the private equity company that part-owns the AA, was to blame. But an AA spokesman said: ‘AA patrols already have staggered shifts throughout the night and changing the evening shift to end at 2am instead of midnight means that more patrols are available for longer.

‘For business customers this means extra patrols on duty at times when people might be making their way home from evening business events or when overnight deliveries are taking place.’