UK police forces are working with car manufacturers to slash the time it takes to deliver new police cars.

The National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) wants to create generic standards for police cars across the country.

Such standard specification would mean manufacturers could deliver ready-to-go vehicles much more quickly, and forces would save money from economies of scale.

At the moment, each police force orders its own vehicles to its own specifications, which means the cars have to be kitted out to different specifications depending on which force they will be used by.

An NAPFM technical committee is determining a base specification and is currently working with Volvo and BMW towards the creation of a generic British police car.

Hampshire police fleet manager and NAPFM spokesman John Bradley said: “The police service of Great Britain has got to look at rationalising.

“It makes sense to calibrate and share vehicles for major operations and to bring some generic specification for some of our cars.

“We would all know how to operate each others’ equipment and our staff can be more easily trained to service and maintain vehicles.”

Volvo already creates a generic police car for forces in Sweden, and it is this concept that the NAPFM hopes to emulate.

The NAPFM hopes the first UK-spec police car will be available by 2008.