Last month, it was announced that 79 fixed speed camera sites in Oxfordshire would be switched off after the county council decided to pass on central government cuts to the Thames Valley Road Safety Partnership.
AA president Edmund King said that with Whitehall planning to reduce the road safety support grant by 37 per cent, there are concerns that thousands more could now be deactivated across the country. He added that the views of many drivers are being overlooked in the debate over the future of speed cameras.
A poll by the AA in November 2009 found that 69 per cent of its members accepted the need for the devices. Mr King noted that the number of cars breaking the 30mph limit has also fallen by 20 per cent in the past ten years.
"If cameras are situated in the right place, on the right roads with the right speed limit, they can be effective and will be accepted by the public," he said.
Approximately 6,000 speed cameras have been installed across Britain since 1992. Unique summary: Councils cutting back on speed cameras could ultimately endanger lives, warns motoring group.
Charlie Henderson, PA Consulting Group’s transport expert comments:“When used appropriately, most people see the value of safety cameras.But,as the relative cost of safety cameras has come down, the number used has dramatically increased. In some cases this has been done without thinking about how the use of safety camera will help reduce speeding and support overall compliance.
The current debate provides an ideal opportunity to re-structure the overall approach to speed enforcement in the UK. This is about changing drivers' behaviours. Technology (including cameras) can help do this. But we need to remember we are dealing with people and their emotions. Safety cameras do have a future but it should be part of a more sophisticated driver-compliance strategy."
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