Campaigns

Highlighting issues and championing drivers' interests

You have always been able to count on the AA to champion the interests of drivers, from the early days of motoring when we fought against police speed traps, to today where we work with the police to get drink and drug drivers off the road and encourage education rather than prosecution for minor offences.

The public affairs team, led by AA President Edmund King, is the UK's most informed group of motoring experts. Whatever the subject - fuel prices, vehicle licensing, road pricing, taxation, vehicle technology, tyres, traffic schemes, parking, road engineering, driver behaviour and much more - we have the answers.

Representing

Edmund King, also visiting Professor of Transport at Newcastle University, represents the AA on the Department for Transport's Motorists' Forum and can often be seen contributing to the debate on motoring issues in the national media. Together with other members of the team he also represents the AA on many motoring think tanks and working groups.

Campaigning

Whether giving evidence to a House of Common's, Transport Committee hearing, meeting the Secretary of State for Transport, speaking at a national conference or briefing national media or an MP, campaigning and lobbying are at the heart of our work.

Our campaigning pays dividends for drivers whether it's seeing an end to cowboy clamping, stopping fuel duty rises, making the government think again about road pricing, getting an extra £300m to fix potholes or seeing fair play on parking tickets. Last year it is estimated that AA campaigning activities saved UK drivers approximately one billion pounds.

Research

To shape policy and guide campaigning activity we gather information from many sources including from AA members via the AA/Populus panel and 'Streetwatch'.

AA/Populus panel

Europe's largest, dedicated, motoring opinion panel. Between 15,000 and 20,000 AA Members complete an /AA/Populus survey every month covering topical, motoring related, issues.

Streetwatch

Thousands of AA Streetwatch volunteers undertake short surveys in their local to give us detailed information on the state of roads and pavements at very local level.

Future challenges

AA Members tell us that their biggest concerns at the moment are the state of the roads - congestion/potholes - and the cost of motoring. We will continue to highlight the issues and champion their interests.