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Daily Express, Wednesday April 6 th 2005
by John Ingham, Transport Editor
More than 12 million speed-camera tickets have been issued since they were introduced 13 years ago, road-safety campaigners claimed yesterday. The Safe Speed campaign said motorists caught by cameras have paid out £700 million in fines.
It claimed more than half the offences were recorded since 2002 - thanks to a dramatic increase on the number of speed cameras. And though the impact on road safety is cited as making the cameras necessary, the campaign group said road deaths increased by 2.5 per cent in 2003.
Safe Speed founder Paul Smith said: "It's a grudge thing for most motorists who have received a speeding ticket. They know full well that they were driving at a safe and appropriate speed at the time of the so-called offence and they resent being abused . Our research shows clearly that routine speeding by otherwise responsible motorists is not a serious safety issue, yet while the focus remains on speed other far more important issues are neglected." Mr Smith added: "So far only the Conservatives have pledged to look at the speed camera programme, including a pledge to disband the greedy camera partnerships."
Safe Speed argues that the authorities are wrong to concentrate so much of their efforts on campaigning against speeding.
There are about 6,500 camera sites across Britain. The number of drivers fined after being caught by the cameras has risen from 290 in 1992 to nearly 3.6 million last year. These figures come amid claims that Britain is braced for hi-tech Specs cameras that measure a car's speed between two points, potentially miles apart, instead of the conventional Gatsos that flash motorists as they pass one fixed point.
Specs cameras are controversial because they are installed high above the road - but are legal as long as they are yellow and have a camera sign within one kilometre - about 1000 yards.
The number of fines provoked anger among motoring groups, as Shadow Transport Secretary Tim Yeo pushed speed cameras into the heart of the newly announced election campaign. He said: "These figures will fuel the widespread suspicion that speed cameras are being used as cash raisers, not life savers . A Conservative government will launch a review of all speed cameras and remove those that are there just to raise revenue . We will concentrate on the real criminals in cars by clamping down on uninsured drivers and tackling anti-social behaviour."
Association of British Drivers spokesman Kevin Delaney said: "Cameras haven't achieved the reductions in death and injury we expected." Association of British Drivers spokesman Mark McArthur-Christie said: "If road deaths had fallen at the same rate that speed camera prosecutions had increased we would have phenomenally safe roads, without a single accident . But we have more people dying on the roads than before."
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