Police officers should be allowed to decide the level of traffic fines, the police unions ACP and NPB said on Tuesday.

The unions were reacting to comments by Pieter van Vollenhoven, chairman of the safety in society organisation SMV. Van Vollenhoven said on Monday there should be three levels of fine and officers should decide which one to hand out for an offence.

His comments came after the West-Brabant/Zeeland police chief Hans Vissers said last month that traffic fines are too high, making police officers reluctant to write out tickets.

The police unions agree. ‘The situations requiring fines are always different,’ said the ACP. ‘You have to avoid the idea that police officers operate on automatic pilot. More flexibility is a good idea,’ said the NPB.

Van Vollenhoven, husband of queen Beatrix’ sister Margriet, says three levels of fine would allow police officers to choose which is suitable. ‘This would make the fines more acceptable and increase the authority of the police,’ he said.