Tuesday 15th June 2004

Speed Cameras Work say UCL

New report gives clean bill of health to robocops

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A study carried out by the University College London for the Goverment is said to conclude that speed cameras are effective in saving lives on our roads.

Analysing a three year period, the study claims that there is a 33% reduction in injuries at camera sites compared with pre-accident statistics. A conclusion being heralded elsewhere in the media is that 100 lives are being saved each year by cameras.

Figures from individual camera partnerships are not in the public domain so overall the only figures to go on are Department for Transport stats for the last few years. Between 1998 and 2002 the number of deaths on our roads has remained static (3,421 vs 3,431 in 2002) despite the prosecution of hundreds of thousands of motorists and millions of pounds of fines being paid.

If deaths really are down at camera sites then we have a serious problem on the rest of our roads...

The Association of British Drivers reacted with dismay to the news. "Camera partnerships, local authorities and the Highways Agency all place every possible obstruction in the path of those who want to examine accident reports for themselves. They just won't release the data on which their claims for speed cameras are based, allowing them to make unsubstantiated claims and making those wanting to get to the truth about road safety work in the dark ", stated spokesman Mark McArthur-Christie.

The report was based on data from 24 of the 42 police forces taking part in the hypothecation scheme in which money is kept to keep camera partnerships self-sufficient.

Success rates vary dramatically according to the data presented to the researchers. The estimated reductions in deaths and serous injuries at camera sites: 

• North Wales 68%
• Lancashire: 58%
• Norfolk: 56%
• Cambridgeshire: 55%
• Northamptonshire: 46%
• Norfolk: 56%
• Thames Valley: 43%
• Warwickshire: 42%
• Strathclyde: 34%
• Nottingham (City): 33%
• Staffordshire: 30%
• Lincolnshire: 18%
• Derbyshire: 17%

Curiously despite Essex being famous for its high number of prosecutions of speeding motorists there was insufficient data for estimates to be produced for the county!

Intrigued by the report we picked the data for Thames Valley region. In 1998, 116 people were killed or seriously injured. In the three years since, an average of 113 were killed or seriously injured. In the first year of cameras the figure actually rose, so it still seems like cherry picking of statistics is going on as claiming a 43% reduction in KSI's is very misleading.

The three year report and data on individual camera sites is apparently available at www.dft.gov.uk . If you've got ten minutes pick your region and tell us what you find.

Link : Regional data

[PetrolTed]

Apparently the report is available on www.dft.gov.uk but I can't find it yet. Can anyone else spot it?

[mechsympathy]

I haven't looked, but Alistair darling was on the beeb this morning claiming that individual camera site stats will be available later today...We'll see.

[kurgis]

Ted, try gnn.gov.uk or whatever its called, I find that to be a bit more accurate and updated quicker than DfT's site.



>> Edited by kurgis on Tuesday 15th June 10:09

[jeffreyarcher]

UCL are hardly likely to say anything else, are they?
It was them that cooked the books (or were grossly incompetent, take your pick) on the original report. Saying anything else now would just be admitting, "We wuz wrong."

[lunarscope]

I notice that Brunstrom's force has the best results.