Lots of new cameras and Talivans in London
Discussion
www.thisislondon.co.uk/traffic/articles/8065519?source=EveningStandard
The number of speed cameras in London is set to double.
It will soar from about 80 to more than 140, triggering a sharp rise in the number of drivers being fined £60 and getting three points on their licence over the next year.
In addition the London Safety Camera Partnership, which operates the cameras, is introducing a new fleet of mobile cameras mounted on vans to catch motorists who dodge fixed camera sites on major roads.
They are to target speeding drivers - especially motorcyclists - in west London before their use is extended across the capital.
Fewer than a quarter of London's 350 fixed camera sites contain cameras at any one time. With more drivers becoming aware of this and gambling on breaking the speed limit, the partnership has decided to double the number of devices.
It confirmed that since July, it has been introducing almost 10 new sites a month. This rate of expansion will continue for the next four years to the point where there are 650 fixed camera sites in the capital.
At the same time, the number of actual cameras will be doubled. AA spokeswoman Rebecca Rees said: "Twice the number of cameras will mean twice the number of motorists will now be caught." Cameras have been successful in making roads safer. In a west London trial accidents fell by 12per cent after cameras were installed.
A senior London traffic officer involved in the partnership told the Evening Standard: "We are targeting west London with mobile cameras because of the high number of accidents involving motorcyclists.
"Sixty-seven motorcyclists were killed in London last year - 24 per cent of all fatalities - even though they make up one in 50 vehicles."
The latest clampdown follows an expansion in speed cameras nationwide - revealed by the Evening Standard - with the number expected to rise by by 2,500, or 50per cent, within two years.
The move comes after an online poll by YouGov showed that seven out of 10 motorists distrust speed cameras and believe they are chiefly intended to raise money rather than improve road safety.
Cyclops-uk.com, which makes speed camera alert systems, said London now has the highest concentration of cameras in the UK, even though traffic in many parts of the capital is reduced to a crawl by congestion.
London has 11.5 per cent of the UK's fixed camera sites, followed by the Thames Valley with 9.8 per cent. Staffordshire comes third with 7.2per cent of camera sites. The Home Counties together host a third of the nation's speed cameras.
Revenue from speed cameras should be spent on boosting the number of traffic police to fight car crime and making dangerous sections of road safer, not just on more cameras, the RAC Foundation said today.
It says "hard-core" criminals get away without penalty because cameras are increasingly replacing traffic police and that the UK is still top of the European crime league.
The number of speed cameras in London is set to double.
It will soar from about 80 to more than 140, triggering a sharp rise in the number of drivers being fined £60 and getting three points on their licence over the next year.
In addition the London Safety Camera Partnership, which operates the cameras, is introducing a new fleet of mobile cameras mounted on vans to catch motorists who dodge fixed camera sites on major roads.
They are to target speeding drivers - especially motorcyclists - in west London before their use is extended across the capital.
Fewer than a quarter of London's 350 fixed camera sites contain cameras at any one time. With more drivers becoming aware of this and gambling on breaking the speed limit, the partnership has decided to double the number of devices.
It confirmed that since July, it has been introducing almost 10 new sites a month. This rate of expansion will continue for the next four years to the point where there are 650 fixed camera sites in the capital.
At the same time, the number of actual cameras will be doubled. AA spokeswoman Rebecca Rees said: "Twice the number of cameras will mean twice the number of motorists will now be caught." Cameras have been successful in making roads safer. In a west London trial accidents fell by 12per cent after cameras were installed.
A senior London traffic officer involved in the partnership told the Evening Standard: "We are targeting west London with mobile cameras because of the high number of accidents involving motorcyclists.
"Sixty-seven motorcyclists were killed in London last year - 24 per cent of all fatalities - even though they make up one in 50 vehicles."
The latest clampdown follows an expansion in speed cameras nationwide - revealed by the Evening Standard - with the number expected to rise by by 2,500, or 50per cent, within two years.
The move comes after an online poll by YouGov showed that seven out of 10 motorists distrust speed cameras and believe they are chiefly intended to raise money rather than improve road safety.
Cyclops-uk.com, which makes speed camera alert systems, said London now has the highest concentration of cameras in the UK, even though traffic in many parts of the capital is reduced to a crawl by congestion.
London has 11.5 per cent of the UK's fixed camera sites, followed by the Thames Valley with 9.8 per cent. Staffordshire comes third with 7.2per cent of camera sites. The Home Counties together host a third of the nation's speed cameras.
Revenue from speed cameras should be spent on boosting the number of traffic police to fight car crime and making dangerous sections of road safer, not just on more cameras, the RAC Foundation said today.
It says "hard-core" criminals get away without penalty because cameras are increasingly replacing traffic police and that the UK is still top of the European crime league.
Some new cameras have gone up on Tower Bridge (just at the end of my street!) and I'm not quite sure what they are (I would take some photos, but at the moment it's dark when I leave for work, and dark again when I get home 
)
There are three on a "gantry" over each lane (ie 3 on the South side over one lane, and three on the North side over the other lane).
Don't suppose that anyone has heard anything about this???
) There are three on a "gantry" over each lane (ie 3 on the South side over one lane, and three on the North side over the other lane).
Don't suppose that anyone has heard anything about this???
tonyrec said:
More money for the labour party.
Malc
Do you think that the Coservatives will pull all speed cameras down if they ever get into power again?
Not a chance, the tory's are no more "motorist" friendly than any of the others. They invented the fuel tax esculator!
tonyrec said:
Do you think that the Coservatives will pull all speed cameras down if they ever get into power again?
No of course not. However they will certainly include car friendly policies in their manifesto simply to differentiate themselves from Labour. Some of those policies will get implemented in order for them to serve a second term - motorists will expect action in return for their support.
I suspect they will accelerate the process that has already started which is to remove cameras that the public feel are particularly disgraceful.
I also expect that they will create an independent body to audit and eventually site cameras. In effect a body to which these so called "Safety Camera Parnterships" have to apply for "planning permission" to put up a camera or use a location for a mobile van.
I also expect that they will try and alter the funding for the scheme so as to be able to exert more political control over the process. I imagine they will take all the cash from the cameras back to central government and provide grants for the Partnerships so that the "revenue" incentive is removed.
Personally I'd like to them ABOLISH the partnerships and hand control back to the police. They should then provide the police with grants to recruit officers for the job - and if some of the money comes from fines well so it does. But I suspect that the direct connection of the revenue from fines paying for the enforcement operatives wages will be removed. It creates a very bad image.
In Britain government is by concensus. There is no concensus on these infernal machines. Any government who allows this piss-poor image of the Speed Cameras to continue are political fools. The majority of Britains voters are motorists - even lentil-munching-grauniad-reading-leftie-sandalistas often have a car and once they've got six points on their licence even THEY will think hard about voting for the incumbent party - when they want to see change.
In short - will they rip up all the cameras - no. Will they HAVE to come through on at least SOME of their election promises - yes.
tonyrec said:
More money for the labour party.
Malc
Do you think that the Coservatives will pull all speed cameras down if they ever get into power again?
We can but live in hope, I am hoping that people's anger at the scameras etc are aimed at the law makers themselves.
Malc
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