First open motorway cameras go live
M4 in Wilts to suffer revenue-generating scameras
Keep cameras for road works
Wiltshire Camera Partnership's (WCP) decision to deploy speed camera vans on the M4 is a clear demonstration of how spurious safety arguments are an excuse to raise money, according to the Association of British Drivers.
"Camera partnerships are locally based organisations," said ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries. "So if they catch too many local people on local roads, they lose the support of their constituents. A motorway is one great big gravy train for them, full of people who don't live in their area, who they can rip off without fear of any local political fallout. It's taxation without representation."
As usual with the camera partnerships, the WCP justifies its actions by quoting the number of accidents that have occurred in a three year period. However, it makes no attempt to explain why these accidents happened, or to demonstrate why slowing people from 85 to 75mph will make a difference.
"In fact, if you ask camera partnerships to release details of what caused the accidents that they are using to justify cameras, they won't tell you", said Humphries. "How can keeping the causes of accidents a secret be consistent with an organisation that's supposed to be about improving safety?"
On a motorway, this scam is more obvious than elsewhere. Anyone can see that accidents on motorways are caused by inattention, tailgating and changing lanes without looking. The more serious ones are caused by the bored and inattentive drivers of speed limited trucks and coaches ploughing into the back of stationary traffic.
The RAC Foundation said speed cameras are "irrelevant" to these accidents -- in fact they make them worse by making drivers switch their cruise controls on and their brains off.
"This pattern of lying about the true causes of accidents to justify cameras is well established, and that's why road deaths are increasing in Britain rather than falling as the camera apologists predicted," said Humphries.
"They work this scam on all roads, but the simplicity of a motorway makes it easier to expose. Camera partnerships have got a built-in financial incentive to indulge themselves in pointless speed enforcement to the detriment of safe, attentive driving, and that's why they should be abolished immediately."
Anyone living in the area knows that the M4 between Hungerford and Bath suffers from dense fog on most mornings, and the majority of accidents I have been aware of in this area have been caused by poor driver attitude to the fog, i.e. travelling to fast for the conditions.
I do not see how this campaign is going to reduce accidents on this stretch of the M4 in any way.
As I live in Swindon and work in Hungerford, travelling to work by the M4 is now right off my list, I will take the B4192, its a much nicer road and I know where they park the scamera van on this route.
>>> Edited by scaff on Wednesday 13th April 13:35
So, if this is the case how come we have Scamera vans deployed on the bridges over the M20 on a regular basis? I myself having been caught by lazer gun doing 98mph, back in 2000.
So, what's the news story here?
Before I get flamed, I am not condoning the BiB actions here, far from it, I'm just puzzled as to why this is making headline news.
Tim
Oh, and they've got to catch you to get your details. So, how fast can they run from one side of a bridge to the other, if they got me at least I'd have the pleasure in knowing I made the b*****d break sweat!
Time to get a quick release number plate me things
Tim
That's what winding me up anyway
Dear Sirs,
Well, a fine contribution to cash-collection, sorry, I mean road safety, you are making.
I am a high-mileage driver with over 46 years experience and have held a licence since 1959. This makes me qualified to comment on your nasty little vindictive cash-collection exercise on the M4.
It seems as though you have failed to take on board the fact that only between 5% and 7% of all accidents are caused by vehicles exceeding the speed limit, and even this figure includes speeding drunk drivers, car thieves and emergency vehicles 'on a shout'.
Thus all your efforts are directed at just 5% of accident causation.
Then you have the temerity to place these cash-collection devices on the safest roads in Europe - the Motorway system of England.
No doubt you have been issuing the 'spin' about speed being a major cause of accidents. Maybe 'inappropriate and careless' use of speed is a significant factor, but what is very clear is that the exceeding of the speed limit on motorways in not. In fact, I feel sure that careless driving by HGV's is probably the major factor in Motorway crashes.
The claim that accidents are reduced at camera sites is completely flawed by the 'regression to the mean' phenomenon, which I understand even if you don't.
You should all be ashamed of yourselves for your participation in the 'ripping-off' of safe drivers who are just going about their business.
Tis these very people who "slam on" as they don't pay attention, that are causing the accidents in the first place. Poor attention!
Seems now, 5 years on, the $ signs in the eyes out-weighs the idea of safety, and they just want MORE money, regardless of the chaos an 80mph column of traffic slowing to 60mph to be sure and then back to 80mph will cause every few miles.
Accidents here we come
Dave
If they really wanted to slow people down, all they have to do is dump a wreaked car on the hard shoulder every mile or so. Everytime I see a wreaked car it usually after going at 20mph for a few miles before hand :-)
Surely, these cameras will mean a rise in people cloning cars number plates?
chimyellow said:
Imagine if everyone left the motorway at jct 14, took the A-Roads and re-joined at 18. 
That might cause chaos....
Maybe someone should put up 'Diversion avoiding Scamera' signs?
Hmm - they tried that on this stretch at the start of February when they shut the stretch between J15 (Swindon A419) and J16 (Swindon West) on a Saturday morning and diverted everyone around the centre of Swindon - added another hour and a half to our journey and brought the centre of town to a standstill
Why don't WCP do something about, uninsured drivers, drunk drivers, drivers on drugs or just plain incompetence on the roads....
Because it requires effort and doesn't generate any revenue..
Is it not about time victimised british motorists took direct action. I'm making my banner now
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