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Swindon Scraps Fixed Speed Cameras
 Despite Wiltshire Police's support of speed cameras, Swindon's five fixed speed cameras will be switched off from today.
Referring to the continued use of mobile speed cameras in the area, Deputy Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police David Ainsworth was quoted by the BBC as saying: "Cameras are an effective means to help achieve a reduction in deaths and injuries and, as such, are an invaluable part of our casualty reduction strategy and they will continue to be used."
The Conservative borough council cite expense as the reason, saying the maintenance cost of £320,000 a year is too much when only a small proportion of the revenue generated by the cameras is returned by central government.
Swindon is the first English local authority to scrap cameras.
| Comments
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 Posted by Brownie1990 on Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:00 pm |
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Still using mobiles, they're the real ones that catch people.
Nothing special getting rid of the fixed, easy to see, and where people definitely know where they will be, cameras.
BROWNIE |
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| Posted by mostdom on Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:06 pm |
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But the article says switched off and not taken down. This makes me think they will leave them up for the duration, and untill the credit crunch improves and just turn them on again.
So you can put a price on road safty! 
Dom
HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace.
Navigon 7310/iPhone Navigon&Copilot |
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| Posted by RobBrady on Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:28 pm |
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Indeed, switched off, not taken down, but just covered up. It'll be interesting to see if they do take them down, but of course removal will cost money, so it's likely that they'll remain in situ.
You never know, they might need them again in the future when the power shifts in the council 
Robert Brady |
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| Posted by navver on Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:56 pm |
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So what does the government do with the revenue it doesn't return? Does it spend it on road safety or is it another tax.
Why does it cost £64,000 per year per camera for maintenance? What does this cover.
But good luck to Swindon, nice to see common sense prevailing at last.
Lets just hope everyone drives carefully in Swindon over the next few years to get the accident rate down, then maybe other councils will follow suit.
Tomtom Go520, App 8.010, Map UK&ROI 810.1870 |
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| Posted by 253 on Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:14 pm |
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| navver Wrote: |
Why does it cost £64,000 per year per camera for maintenance? What does this cover.
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I suspect it's like everything else that gets 'outsourced', The bid comes in as the lowest price "We can fit if for £1000, that 75% cheaper than anyone else." "And oh, by the way, it will cost you £64,000 per year to service it"
That's how they make their money.
My work has just paid Capgemini (or whatever) £1400 for a Dull computer that you can buy to order for £600. The 'extra' is for the privilege of having them come out and load a new version of Norton every year.
Triumph Tbird 1700. And now a Bonnie T100. |
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| Posted by BigPerk on Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:29 pm |
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Sounds like your work is similar to what mine was. And taxpayers wonder why public spending goes through the roof, and projects fail, or succeed but are massively over budget!
David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360) |
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| Posted by DennisN on Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:36 pm |
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ITV (local) news presenter said they are bagged (and showed them bagged) and added that they would be dismantled in the next couple of months.
By the way, he said "four" and for the life of me I can only find three inside Swindon on my database. There are two more almost outside police HQ on the A420, but I don't know if these are affected by Swindon Town's decision - I have my doubts.
Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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| Posted by culzean on Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:59 am |
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How much more 'revenue' does our fat, wasteful central government need?
The reason our council tax was shooting up at 5 to 6 times the 'official rate of inflation' from the late 90's until just a couple of years ago was that central government was deliberately starving local authorities of funds and forcing them to get more revenue locally - notice how council tax rises were lower just before elections?
Just adds to the general feeling that 'safety cameras' were just revenue raisers, and were erected in the most 'lucrative' spots, nothing to do with safety at all - how cynical.
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| Posted by navver on Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:17 am |
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| Quote: | Despite Wiltshire Police's support of speed cameras, Swindon's five fixed speed cameras will be switched off from today.
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Dennis, I'm sorry but he said five cameras on my copy not four.
Tomtom Go520, App 8.010, Map UK&ROI 810.1870 |
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| Posted by DennisN on Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:11 pm |
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| navver Wrote: | | Quote: | Despite Wiltshire Police's support of speed cameras, Swindon's five fixed speed cameras will be switched off from today.
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Dennis, I'm sorry but he said five cameras on my copy not four. |
The "he" to whom I referred was the TV presenter, not Rob. Sadly, today I was unable to call round at the A420 to check the pair near the police HQ as I was far too late coming home from a 6 hour delivery job to Chelmsford which took 11 hours, thanks to all the weekend drivers. When will they learn to stop clogging up the roads on Saturdays?
Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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| Posted by gem on Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:30 pm |
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| News Team Wrote: | £320,000 a year is too much when only a small proportion of the revenue generated by the cameras is returned by central government.
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This is terrible news! Let's hang on a minute, these cameras are there to save lives and prevent accidents...yawn yawn.....
There are not there to make money....!
So here is proof, conclusive in the Swindon area, that cameras are only there to make profits.
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