Speed safety claims wrong: research

Motorway cameras weaken safety

By PH Staff / Friday, 7 July 2006 / Loading comments

Motorway scameras cause crashes

South Yorkshire's roads police chief has condemned "motorists putting lives at risk by speeding through major roadworks on the M1 in South Yorkshire" -- yet publicly funded research shows that speed cameras in roadworks increase the risk of crashes significantly.

The criticism came from Chief Insp Ian Bint, head of roads policing with South Yorkshire Police, following the imposition of a temporary 50mph limit on a 2.6 mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 and 33, with the aim of protecting workmen carrying out £3.6 million safety scheme. The impetus for Bint's remarks was, according to him, that over four days of safety camera operations, over 1,000 vehicles were filmed breaking the limit, with one driver travelling at 94 miles an hour.

However, according to road safety campaign Safe Speed, the best research that exists on the subject (TRL595 -- see link below) warns that fixed speed cameras in motorway roadworks increase crashes by 55 per cent.

Campaign founder Paul Smith said: "The degree of irresponsibility here is extraordinary. Despite the fact that our best science warns that these cameras massively increase danger, they persist, presumably running only on blind faith and a massive misunderstanding of the evidence that is available.

"TRL595 was hidden away until I uncovered it using the Freedom of Information Act. No larger study of motorway road works safety has ever been carried out in the UK. It is the best science.

"Motorists will not be surprised that these confounded cameras increase dangers. They would rather be concentrating on the road ahead instead of wholly artificial and distracting threats to their driving licences.

"We need road safety based on best science and best practice, not blind faith and twisted statistics. Speed camera policy has failed to improve road safety. Fixed speed cameras on motorway roadworks are amongst the most dangerous."

Smith called for cameras to be taken off our roads "right now".