The AA is introducing technician patrols on electric scooters and motorcycles in a bid to keep London motorists mobile.

14 patrols will target quick-fix breakdowns such as flat batteries, wheel changes and simple electrical faults. These problems account for a third of the 3.6 million breakdowns attended by the AA each year.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "On busy city roads, one flat tyre can delay thousands of motorists and further aggravate congestion. By cutting through traffic, AA bike patrols will reach breakdowns more quickly and get our members and other drivers back on the move with the minimum delay.

“We need radical action to beat record slow traffic in our cities and decided that two wheels are quicker than four. By fixing breakdowns more quickly, we will improve service to our members, and help reduce congestion and emissions."

The new bikes – which include environment friendly zero-emission electric scooters – are expected to cut up to 15 minutes from the average 50 minute wait time for breakdowns in central London during peak times.

The motorbike patrols will be supported by a dedicated motorcycle recovery van in London. This will be supplemented in the coming months by five dedicated motorbike repair and recovery vans. They join a fleet of more than 500 AA van patrols that operate inside the M25.

If the trial is successful, the AA may roll it out to other major cities where congestion is a problem, such as Bristol, Glasgow, Southampton and Cambridge.