Traffic chief demands more speed cameras
Discussion
A new article in the Times reports that Brunstrom wants more cameras. That's news?
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1166339,00.html
Well it is to Ben Webster.
I wonder why there's yet another government enquiry? Are they still searching for evidence?
The one encouraging thing is that a DfT spokesman said, "...we would not advocate that police wait until there has been even one death if they have concerns about the safety of a road. A range of measures could be used, like redesigning the road..." Now there's an idea!!!
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1166339,00.html
Well it is to Ben Webster.
Times said:
POLICE must be given new powers to place speed cameras on any road they choose, regardless of its crash history, Britain’s most senior traffic policeman said.
Existing rules dictate that a camera can be installed on a stretch of road only on which there have been four deaths or serious injuries in the previous three years.
Richard Brunstrom, head of road policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Chief Constable of North Wales, said that the present rules were costing lives.
Mr Brunstrom, addressing an inquiry into speed cameras by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, said: “If we want to reduce casualties further, we are going to have to spread cameras more widely and not wait until people have died to put a camera up. The safety camera rules at the moment are preventing us in the police service from saving lives.”
Mr Brunstrom supported the Government’s decision to order speed cameras to be made conspicuous by being painted yellow, but he said that many motorists were taking advantage of the policy by simply slowing down as they passed cameras and then speeding up again.
Mr Brunstrom has been vilified by some hardline motoring groups for his vigorous support for speed cameras. Tabloid newspapers have dubbed him the “mad mullah of the traffic Taleban”.
However, Mr Brunstrom’s supporters say that his approach has been vindicated by official figures published last month on the impact of speed cameras.
The number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites in North Wales has fallen by 68 per cent in the past three years, the best record in the country. Casualties declined by 40 per cent in the average police force area.
The Association of British Drivers, which campaigns against speed cameras, said that the rules governing where cameras could be located were already too flexible.
Mark McArthur-Christie, the association’s road safety spokesman, said: “The criteria for camera placement are already hugely problematic. They allow cameras to be placed where accidents have occurred which have nothing to do with speed.
“The obsession with speed limits is completely failing to address the issue of safe driving.
“There are plenty of times when it’s safe but illegal to drive faster than a limit — millions of people do it every day. There are other times when driving at or even well below the limit is lethal.”
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman defended the existing rules and said that police already had some discretion over where they were allowed to use mobile speed cameras. A force can allocate 15 per cent of the time that its officers spend using mobile cameras to sites where the local community has expressed concern over speeding, regardless of how many crashes there have been at the site.
The spokesman added: “There have to be rules governing the use of cameras, but we would not advocate that police wait until there has been even one death if they have concerns about the safety of a road. A range of measures could be used, like redesigning the road or putting in traffic calming.”
Mr Brunstrom told the inquiry that two million speed camera fines were issued last year. He estimated that the number of fines would peak at three million this year before declining as motorists learnt to comply with the limit.
I wonder why there's yet another government enquiry? Are they still searching for evidence?
The one encouraging thing is that a DfT spokesman said, "...we would not advocate that police wait until there has been even one death if they have concerns about the safety of a road. A range of measures could be used, like redesigning the road..." Now there's an idea!!!
Peter Ward said:
A new article in the Times reports that Brunstrom wants more cameras. That's news?
He has a "thing" about yellow forests! Telling!
Peter Ward said:
The one encouraging thing is that a DfT spokesman said, "...we would not advocate that police wait until there has been even one death if they have concerns about the safety of a road. A range of measures could be used, like redesigning the road..." Now there's an idea!!!
Ah! But that is common sense - which is "not a prerequisite" and far too old fashioned!
Bit like having traffic police on our roads really!
But they have to spend money on an enquiry to dupe us into thinking they are thinking about thinking about scameras!
And that last sentence is how they appear to think - rambling!
Times said:
However, Mr Brunstrom’s supporters say that his approach has been vindicated by official figures published last month on the impact of speed cameras.
The number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites in North Wales has fallen by 68 per cent in the past three years, the best record in the country. Casualties declined by 40 per cent in the average police force area.
This is utter garbage. The figures released prove nothing and appear to have been politically motivated. They have been slammed by many including 5 professors of statistics from three universities; Cardiff, Southampton and University College London.
Year 2003 road deaths in N. Wales were up by 13.6% or 11.3% depending on which figures are correct; both issued by N. Wales police.
There were 44 deaths in 2002 and either 49 or 50 deaths in 2003.
Anyone got an e-mail address for the writer of this article?
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