Fewer Metropolitan Police officers will be on the beat during London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, despite several terror attacks in the capital this year.

Scotland Yard confirmed that less officers would be working the shift but stressed that police resources would be "proportionate" and "appropriate".

Superintendent Nick Aldworth said those flocking to the sold-out fireworks display on the banks of the Thames would be safe.

It comes at a time when police officer numbers across the country are at their lowest level for 30 years, while the current UK terror threat level remains at severe, according to the latest Home Office figures.

Mr Aldworth said: "We are providing a proportionate number of officers based on the threat, number of people coming, and the secure environment we've been able to build.

Heightened security in London on New Year's Eve 10 show all Heightened security in London on New Year's Eve 1/10 Armed police officers walk in central London, ahead of the New Year celebrations, PA 2/10 An armed police officer patrols Horse Guard's Parade during the Changing of the Guard ceremony on New Year's Eve Getty Images 3/10 A police dog and handler patrol in advance of New Year celebrations REUTERS 4/10 Armed police line the streets of Windsor for the Changing of The Guard Rex Features 5/10 An armed police officer patrols in London ahead of the New Year's Eve celebrations REUTERS 6/10 An armed police officer patrols near a souvenir stall in London REUTERS 7/10 Security tactics have been adjusted following this year's terrorist atrocities in Europe PA 8/10 Thousands of police officers will provide a protective ring around the city's set-piece fireworks display PA 9/10 A armed police officer walks amongst tourists at Horse Guards Parade in central Londo PA 10/10 A armed police officer walks amongst tourists at Horse Guards Parade PA 1/10 Armed police officers walk in central London, ahead of the New Year celebrations, PA 2/10 An armed police officer patrols Horse Guard's Parade during the Changing of the Guard ceremony on New Year's Eve Getty Images 3/10 A police dog and handler patrol in advance of New Year celebrations REUTERS 4/10 Armed police line the streets of Windsor for the Changing of The Guard Rex Features 5/10 An armed police officer patrols in London ahead of the New Year's Eve celebrations REUTERS 6/10 An armed police officer patrols near a souvenir stall in London REUTERS 7/10 Security tactics have been adjusted following this year's terrorist atrocities in Europe PA 8/10 Thousands of police officers will provide a protective ring around the city's set-piece fireworks display PA 9/10 A armed police officer walks amongst tourists at Horse Guards Parade in central Londo PA 10/10 A armed police officer walks amongst tourists at Horse Guards Parade PA

"We have fewer officers policing here this year but they represent the appropriate number of resources that we need.

"You'll understand that the planning for these events is very, very detailed, it's done by a very, very expert team. They've assessed the number of officers that we need.

"People coming into London will see armed police officers, they will see other technical measures such as cameras and security notices, what they won't see are some covert resources that are here to look after them.

Aftermath of London Bridge and Borough Market terrorist attack 55 show all Aftermath of London Bridge and Borough Market terrorist attack 1/55 New Security barriers along Westminster Bridge Alex Lentati 2/55 Onlookers react near the scene of an attack close to London Bridge Reuters 3/55 Floral tributes are laid near Borough Market in London following Saturday's terrorist attack PA 4/55 Security barriers along Waterloo Bridge Alex Lentati 5/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 6/55 The scene where the terrorists van stopped at the southern end of London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 7/55 A woman places flowers on a floral tribute in the London Bridge area AP 8/55 Police activity on Ripple Road in east London, where officers have conducted raids after Saturday's deadly terror attack PA 9/55 New security barriers have been put up along Westminster Bridge Alex Lentati 10/55 People look at flowers at a pedestrian crossing on the south side of London Bridge AFP/Getty Images 11/55 Police at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 12/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 13/55 Flowers at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 14/55 Flowers at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 15/55 Police on patrol London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn 16/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 17/55 Police activity on Ripple Road in east London PA 18/55 New security barriers have been put up along Westminster Bridge Evening Standard 19/55 Jeremy Selwyn 20/55 View of London Bridge following the terror attack Jeremy Selwyn 21/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 22/55 A person (right) is detained by police at Elizabeth Fry flats in Barking, east London, which officer raided following the terror attack on London Bridge Furqan Nabi/PA 23/55 A female police officer carries flowers from a member of the public to the scene of last night's terrorist attack at London Bridge Getty Images 24/55 The van used by three attackers which was driven onto London Bridge, striking pedestrian, before they went on a stabbing rampage in nearby Borough Market PA 25/55 A person is detained by police in Barking, east London following the terror attack on London Bridge Splash News 26/55 Forensic officers work on London Bridge after last night's a terrorist attack Getty Images 27/55 Police officers outside a property in East Ham which has been raided by police Getty Images 28/55 Police activity on Barking Road in East Ham, east London @JrKamrulJr/PA 29/55 A crowd gathers behind a police cordon on Barking Road in East Ham, east London, where there was a heavy police presence following last night's terrorist incident at London Bridge PA 30/55 Armed police descend an escalator at the foot of the Shard outside London Bridge station PA 31/55 Police officers and emergency response vehicles are seen on the street outside Borough Market on the morning after a terror attack on London Bridge and the Borough area AFP/Getty Images 32/55 A forensic officer walks over London Bridge after last night's terrorist attack Getty Images 33/55 View of London Bridge following the terror attack Jeremy Selwyn 34/55 A police officer escorts members of the public, wrapped in foil blankets, towards The Shard in London AFP/Getty Images 35/55 A bouquet of flowers stands by the police cordon next to London Bridge in London AFP/Getty Images 36/55 A police officer creates a cordon on Kings Road in Barking, as police continue their investigations following the June 3 terror attacks AFP/Getty Images 37/55 Police raid flats in Barking 38/55 Armed officers: Police raid flats in Barking 'over London Bridge terror attack' @ofrenium/Twitter 39/55 Members of the public watch as police work on Kings Road in Barking AFP/Getty Images 40/55 Police raid flats in Barking 41/55 The Union flag is flown at half mast in Downing Street, London PA 42/55 Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee following last night's terrorist incident in London PA 43/55 A sign at Walthamstow tube station in east London following last night's terrorist incident at London Bridge PA 44/55 Police outside a raided property in East Ham Getty Images 45/55 Police officers stand outside a property which was raided by officers in Barking Road, east London Reuters 46/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 47/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 48/55 Police officers patrol the River Thames by boat, close to London Bridge AFP/Getty Images 49/55 Counter terrorism officers march near the scene of last night's London Bridge terrorist attack Getty Images 50/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 51/55 Armed police and emergency services outside Borough Market, London, following last night's terrorist incidents PA 52/55 Police forensic officers work on London Bridge in London, as police continue their investigations following the terror attack AFP/Getty Images 53/55 Police on Southwark Bridge Road, London, near the scene of last night's terrorist incidents in London Bridge and Borough Market PA 54/55 Police forensic officers on London Bridge following last night's terrorist incident PA 55/55 The Union flag flies at half mast in Whitehall PA 1/55 New Security barriers along Westminster Bridge Alex Lentati 2/55 Onlookers react near the scene of an attack close to London Bridge Reuters 3/55 Floral tributes are laid near Borough Market in London following Saturday's terrorist attack PA 4/55 Security barriers along Waterloo Bridge Alex Lentati 5/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 6/55 The scene where the terrorists van stopped at the southern end of London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 7/55 A woman places flowers on a floral tribute in the London Bridge area AP 8/55 Police activity on Ripple Road in east London, where officers have conducted raids after Saturday's deadly terror attack PA 9/55 New security barriers have been put up along Westminster Bridge Alex Lentati 10/55 People look at flowers at a pedestrian crossing on the south side of London Bridge AFP/Getty Images 11/55 Police at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 12/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 13/55 Flowers at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 14/55 Flowers at London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 15/55 Police on patrol London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn 16/55 Police on patrol London Bridge and Southwark Street Jeremy Selwyn 17/55 Police activity on Ripple Road in east London PA 18/55 New security barriers have been put up along Westminster Bridge Evening Standard 19/55 Jeremy Selwyn 20/55 View of London Bridge following the terror attack Jeremy Selwyn 21/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 22/55 A person (right) is detained by police at Elizabeth Fry flats in Barking, east London, which officer raided following the terror attack on London Bridge Furqan Nabi/PA 23/55 A female police officer carries flowers from a member of the public to the scene of last night's terrorist attack at London Bridge Getty Images 24/55 The van used by three attackers which was driven onto London Bridge, striking pedestrian, before they went on a stabbing rampage in nearby Borough Market PA 25/55 A person is detained by police in Barking, east London following the terror attack on London Bridge Splash News 26/55 Forensic officers work on London Bridge after last night's a terrorist attack Getty Images 27/55 Police officers outside a property in East Ham which has been raided by police Getty Images 28/55 Police activity on Barking Road in East Ham, east London @JrKamrulJr/PA 29/55 A crowd gathers behind a police cordon on Barking Road in East Ham, east London, where there was a heavy police presence following last night's terrorist incident at London Bridge PA 30/55 Armed police descend an escalator at the foot of the Shard outside London Bridge station PA 31/55 Police officers and emergency response vehicles are seen on the street outside Borough Market on the morning after a terror attack on London Bridge and the Borough area AFP/Getty Images 32/55 A forensic officer walks over London Bridge after last night's terrorist attack Getty Images 33/55 View of London Bridge following the terror attack Jeremy Selwyn 34/55 A police officer escorts members of the public, wrapped in foil blankets, towards The Shard in London AFP/Getty Images 35/55 A bouquet of flowers stands by the police cordon next to London Bridge in London AFP/Getty Images 36/55 A police officer creates a cordon on Kings Road in Barking, as police continue their investigations following the June 3 terror attacks AFP/Getty Images 37/55 Police raid flats in Barking 38/55 Armed officers: Police raid flats in Barking 'over London Bridge terror attack' @ofrenium/Twitter 39/55 Members of the public watch as police work on Kings Road in Barking AFP/Getty Images 40/55 Police raid flats in Barking 41/55 The Union flag is flown at half mast in Downing Street, London PA 42/55 Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee following last night's terrorist incident in London PA 43/55 A sign at Walthamstow tube station in east London following last night's terrorist incident at London Bridge PA 44/55 Police outside a raided property in East Ham Getty Images 45/55 Police officers stand outside a property which was raided by officers in Barking Road, east London Reuters 46/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 47/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 48/55 Police officers patrol the River Thames by boat, close to London Bridge AFP/Getty Images 49/55 Counter terrorism officers march near the scene of last night's London Bridge terrorist attack Getty Images 50/55 Armed police Jeremy Selwyn 51/55 Armed police and emergency services outside Borough Market, London, following last night's terrorist incidents PA 52/55 Police forensic officers work on London Bridge in London, as police continue their investigations following the terror attack AFP/Getty Images 53/55 Police on Southwark Bridge Road, London, near the scene of last night's terrorist incidents in London Bridge and Borough Market PA 54/55 Police forensic officers on London Bridge following last night's terrorist incident PA 55/55 The Union flag flies at half mast in Whitehall PA

"But they can come to London in the certain knowledge that that operation is being led by one of the most experienced command teams that we have. It's a safe environment."

Scotland Yard said "operational reasons" stopped them from being able to discuss specific numbers on duty this Sunday. There were 3,000 at last year's celebrations.

Mr Aldworth said the public should be "reassured" by the number of officers available.

"I think the message I would give to the public is to be reassured that we've got the right number of officers to police this event," he said.

"We want them (the public) to be alert, not alarmed.

"They can help us - there's 100,000 extra sets of eyes and ears out there that might see or hear things that might concern them, and if they feel like that, for them to come forward and tell us, no matter however small or insignificant they think it is.

"Above all, enjoy your evening and feel safe in coming here."

He said there were plans in place should there be a major incident, such as March's Westminster attack which saw five people including Pc Keith Palmer killed, and June's attack at London Bridge, which left eight people including three terrorists dead.

About 100,000 ticket-holders are expected to watch the 12-minute fireworks display.