RE: Speed Camera Funding Switched Off
RE: Speed Camera Funding Switched Off
Monday 21st June 2010

Speed Camera Funding Switched Off

Central government to stop local authority grants for new speed cameras



Transport minister Mike Penning has promised that funding for new speed cameras will be stopped, and that cameras will no longer be used as a cynical revenue generator.

Mr Penning told MPs last week that the government will put a stop to millions of pounds-worth of grants doled out to local authorities to help fund new speed cameras.

"'If local authorities want new cameras they are free to do so using their own resources," said Mr Penning. "But we strongly encourage them to use other methods of effective safety measures. The public must be confident speed cameras are there for road safety - not as a cash cow. Under this Government it will not be so."

Local authorities are now to be encouraged to use other road safety measures to cut deaths and injuries on Britain's roads. Under the proposals, local authorities will also have to fund new speed cameras using council tax.

Currently, the UK has more speed cameras than any other country in Europe, and they generate approximately £110million a year.

Author
Discussion

martinhayes17

Original Poster:

164 posts

196 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.

chazwozza

920 posts

207 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Totally agree, I see many accidents through work and on the road & foreign trucks can be a menace, plus any 'minor' offences aren't punished i.e. phones & speeding. Happy to see the funding stopped, people who are going to speed just slow down for the camera and speed up again after.

FishFace

3,790 posts

229 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Some people are never happy!

Andrew[MG]

3,348 posts

219 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Are there currently any proposals to do this?

Lefty 200 Drams

19,307 posts

223 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...

Oddball RS

1,757 posts

239 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Well i'm happy, its nice start, Next overpaid council workers...........

mark seeker

898 posts

228 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Lefty 200 Drams said:
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...
But how does this get around foreign lorries filling up in France and then not refueling until they leave the UK? I thought the Tories had plans to get around this?

spoonoff

361 posts

219 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
mark seeker said:
Lefty 200 Drams said:
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...
But how does this get around foreign lorries filling up in France and then not refueling until they leave the UK? I thought the Tories had plans to get around this?
I'm sensing a strong BNP vibe here... tsk.

pistolp

1,719 posts

243 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Good news at last, at least one good thing has come of us being broke!

FishFace

3,790 posts

229 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
spoonoff said:
mark seeker said:
Lefty 200 Drams said:
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...
But how does this get around foreign lorries filling up in France and then not refueling until they leave the UK? I thought the Tories had plans to get around this?
I'm sensing a strong BNP vibe here... tsk.
Why, because someone has dared talk about the impact of people who don't live here?

Almost equal to the poor to the views of the BNP are people who are willing to bring them up whenever anyone speaks of anything to do with immigration and similar matters.

Konrod

912 posts

249 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
If this is true it is a great move for the poor oppressed motorist. Would be nice to know the timescales.

Of course, it assumes that councils don't just fund more mobile cameras for more flexible coverage......... I assume that if they fund the camera then they keep the income and I'm sure there is a higher revenue per camera than for fixed models. I these cash strapped times I'm sure councils will see it as an option

The Milfman

1,107 posts

210 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Oddball RS said:
Well i'm happy, its nice start, Next overpaid council workers...........
Ahem, if I was overpaid, I'd be driving a Lamborghini! hehe

vetteheadracer

8,273 posts

274 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Lefty 200 Drams said:
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...
+1

CraigyMc

18,072 posts

257 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Lefty 200 Drams said:
martinhayes17 said:
Why don't they forget about generating money through speed cameras and start making foreign lorries that come into the country pay road tax. After all it is them that drive for rediculous lengths of time and cause accidents.
Yet another reason why the fixed fee VED should be abolished and included in the cost of petrol/diesel. IMHO...
Wouldn't they just fill up on the continent (as I think they do now!) anyway?

C

agric

367 posts

205 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
No real difference in price now,

Gone are the days of double tanks on UK hauliers, bringing back a few hundred litres of cheap derv to run in the UK on.

308mate

13,758 posts

243 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Will this mean less speed cameras? No.

Will it mean our council tax goes up to fund more speed cameras, as they are such a massive revenue generator? Yes.

Good try but its own goal. Now we will pay even more directly to fine ourselves.

Papa Hotel

12,760 posts

203 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
What the hell is wrong on PistonHeads? Three hours in and no-one has asked what a "cynjical revenue generator" is. I know I want one!

Edit: And now it's been fixed...

Edited by Papa Hotel on Monday 21st June 16:59

pagani1

683 posts

223 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Sorry 308 mate but you are so wrong. Council tax charge is being frozen by the new Government so will councils pay into their own pension scheme or buy cameras on their fixed income with other spending cut pressures? Answer -fill up their pensions and those of the Police, Firemen etc.
At least this government kept it's promise on Cameras and what has the BNP to do with taxing foreign lorries for using the UK roads-after all try the autoroutes in Europe they are not free?
It's time England stood up for itself!

Kazlet

278 posts

192 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
The Milfman said:
Oddball RS said:
Well i'm happy, its nice start, Next overpaid council workers...........
Ahem, if I was overpaid, I'd be driving a Lamborghini! hehe
Its about time that the government did something about the solid gold pensions that council workers seem to think they are entitled to. The private sector has been desimated in recent years but council worker think the rest of us should pay to protect theirs....

Johnpidge

588 posts

210 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Konrod said:
If this is true it is a great move for the poor oppressed motorist. Would be nice to know the timescales.

Of course, it assumes that councils don't just fund more mobile cameras for more flexible coverage......... I assume that if they fund the camera then they keep the income and I'm sure there is a higher revenue per camera than for fixed models. I these cash strapped times I'm sure councils will see it as an option
This is a possibility as for example some BUS LANE safety cameras are owned by the local authority such as the one here in Kew Road in Richmond Surrey which does nothing (and with Tesco's coming to the old bakery there soon if you know the area pretty much an irrelivance) is the shortest in the borough (couple of hundred meters) but somehow manages to rake in £250,000 a year off the poor unfortunates who accidentally drive into it (but doesn't worry those without proper reg/insurance etc etc) all proceeds are kept by Richmond and Twickenham council - can see all local authorities going this way and if they are capped as the suggestion is they WILL look for a good way to scam us poor motorists as we are far too easy a target!!!!!!!