Safety Groups Oppose The Big Speed Camera Switch Off

[RobBrady]

There's been a lot of talk about speed cameras this week with many organisations joining the heated debate as to whether some local authorities were right in their decision to turn their cameras off. Now that the government has ended central funding, it will be interesting to see how many other councils join the big switch off.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), The AA, the Institute of Road Safety Officers and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety have joined six other safety groups to issue a joint statement.

The statement said:

We the undersigned agree that:

* Speed cameras help to save lives - an estimated 100 lives a year in the UK.

* Lives are saved by reducing speeding. Speeding significantly increases the risk of an accident happening; and also increases the severity of injuries in an accident.

* Cameras should continue to be used where casualty statistics show they are needed.

* Switching off cameras systematically would be close to creating a void in law enforcement on the road. Cameras currently account for 84 per cent of fixed penalty notices for speeding.

* Cuts might also threaten many speed awareness courses that give motorists an opportunity to learn about the dangers of driving too fast.

* While public spending needs to be cut, cuts must be justified by evidence. Cameras pay for themselves and currently make an important contribution to achieving compliance with the speed limit.

Signed:

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA): Tom Mullarkey MBE, Chief Executive

The AA: Edmund King, President

Association of Industrial Road Safety Officers (AIRSO): Graham Feest, Secretary

CTC - the UK’s National Cyclists’ Organisation: Kevin Mayne, Chief Executive

GEM Motoring Assist: David Williams MBE FIRSO, Chief Executive

Institute of Road Safety Officers: Darren Divall, Chairman

London Road Safety Council: Councillor Peter Herrington, Chairman

Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS): Robert Gifford, Executive Director

Road Safety GB: Alan Kennedy, Chairman

RoSPA has issued its defence of speed cameras: “Ten Reasons to Maintain Speed Camera Enforcement”.

Also this week, The Telegraph reported the announcement of a new scheme whereby local residents of Consett in County Durham and surrounding villages are to be given training by police and a budget of £5,000 by the council to use cameras to identify speeding drivers. Offenders would not be prosecuted, but would be sent warning letters. If it proves successful, authorities hope the initiative could be rolled out nationwide.
_________________
Robert Brady

[Guivre46]

Well I find I totally agree with their statement about 'where casualty figures justify it'. Because there is the feeling that many of the sites are 'tricksy' to raise revenue rather than reduce casualties. Now we need a review about how they are used, as said already, clear marking, link to traffic lights, average speed rather than at one single point etc.
_________________
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

[wildcard]

We all seem to believe that cameras are there for the revenue - a view encouraged by the populist press and speeding drivers everywhere. But how can this be so if central government funding is required to keep them running ( at least in Oxfordshire ) ?

[JimmyTheHand]

[Border_Collie]

[Skippy]

[Darren]

[Skippy]

[M8TJT]

[Guivre46]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the government were seriously considering raising the level of speeding fines to fund services for victims of crimes?
_________________
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

[Darren]

[Skippy]

[culzean]

Speed cameras in the right places are OK (schools etc.) but many are in 'revenue raising' sites on empty main roads in the middle of nowhere and these have rightly given 'safety cameras' a bad press.

What I really want are 'mobile phone cameras' that can detect mobile phone signals in approaching vehicles and photograph the car, if the driver is using a phone then they should get a big fine and a ban. These cameras should be discreet and mobile. From experience someone who is driving fast is probably paying more attention to the road ahead, whereas a mobile phone user is paying scant attention to anything except their beloved phone.

[Guivre46]

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!