SPEED CAMERAS SET UP TO EARN CASH SAYS EX-POLICEMA
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www.thesentinel.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=67725&command=displayContent&sourceNode=67252&contentPK=8053508
Mobile speed camera vans are being parked dangerously in locations which are chosen to maximise income from fines, according to the man who set up Staffordshire's network of 226 speed cameras.
Pc Steve Walsh was office manager for Staffordshire's camera safety partnership from when it was set up in 1995 until 2001. He left the post when the system changed to allow income from fines to be kept by the partnership instead of being passed directly to the Treasury. Now he has revealed to Sentinel Sunday how the controversial speed camera network was set up and voiced his concerns over the way it is run now.
Mr Walsh was motivated to speak out after seeing a mobile camera safety van which he claims was parked in a dangerous position 10 metres from the Parkhouse roundabout on the A34 north of Newcastle.
He said: "The safety cameras are supposed to be there to reduce danger and serious accidents, but this is creating a danger. The vehicle is bumped up over raised kerbs in the central reservation and about 10 metres away from the roundabout.
"That obscures the vision of drivers approaching the roundabout and it creates a distraction as they go past.
"The speed limit has recently been reduced on that stretch of road to 40mph, but I believe it would be impossible to approach the roundabout at 40mph so I cannot see what they are trying to enforce.
"When I was running the system our whole agenda was to get compliance - to ensure speed limits were observed.
"We put up lots of signs and put cameras at regular intervals so people couldn't speed up and slow down. But if you succeed in getting people to observe the speed limit then you produce no income.
"My suspicion here is that they were sitting on a dual carriageway which recently had a higher speed limit and where it is quite likely that people will be going above the speed limit because they know that is the best way to bring in the most fines."
Mr Walsh, aged 49, of Porthill, Newcastle, retired last month after 30 years in the police. He said he had supported the change in the law which allowed partnerships of the police, councils, courts, health services and Crown Prosecution Service to keep income from fines. This has meant the fines pay for the staff and equipment to run the service while allowing the partnership to expand road safety work by installing new cameras and buying new mobile vans. There are now 226 fixed cameras and two vans, although two more will be added in March.
The camera safety partnership have refuted Mr Walsh's claims.
However Mr Walsh believes there is now a culture where locations for cameras are chosen for how many drivers they trap, rather than the danger the roads present. His claims follow controversy about the effectiveness of speed cameras and revelations last week in the national press of an internal briefing paper for Avon and Somerset safety partnership which spoke of a "target" of 150,000 fines for next financial year.
Mobile speed camera vans are being parked dangerously in locations which are chosen to maximise income from fines, according to the man who set up Staffordshire's network of 226 speed cameras.
Pc Steve Walsh was office manager for Staffordshire's camera safety partnership from when it was set up in 1995 until 2001. He left the post when the system changed to allow income from fines to be kept by the partnership instead of being passed directly to the Treasury. Now he has revealed to Sentinel Sunday how the controversial speed camera network was set up and voiced his concerns over the way it is run now.
Mr Walsh was motivated to speak out after seeing a mobile camera safety van which he claims was parked in a dangerous position 10 metres from the Parkhouse roundabout on the A34 north of Newcastle.
He said: "The safety cameras are supposed to be there to reduce danger and serious accidents, but this is creating a danger. The vehicle is bumped up over raised kerbs in the central reservation and about 10 metres away from the roundabout.
"That obscures the vision of drivers approaching the roundabout and it creates a distraction as they go past.
"The speed limit has recently been reduced on that stretch of road to 40mph, but I believe it would be impossible to approach the roundabout at 40mph so I cannot see what they are trying to enforce.
"When I was running the system our whole agenda was to get compliance - to ensure speed limits were observed.
"We put up lots of signs and put cameras at regular intervals so people couldn't speed up and slow down. But if you succeed in getting people to observe the speed limit then you produce no income.
"My suspicion here is that they were sitting on a dual carriageway which recently had a higher speed limit and where it is quite likely that people will be going above the speed limit because they know that is the best way to bring in the most fines."
Mr Walsh, aged 49, of Porthill, Newcastle, retired last month after 30 years in the police. He said he had supported the change in the law which allowed partnerships of the police, councils, courts, health services and Crown Prosecution Service to keep income from fines. This has meant the fines pay for the staff and equipment to run the service while allowing the partnership to expand road safety work by installing new cameras and buying new mobile vans. There are now 226 fixed cameras and two vans, although two more will be added in March.
The camera safety partnership have refuted Mr Walsh's claims.
However Mr Walsh believes there is now a culture where locations for cameras are chosen for how many drivers they trap, rather than the danger the roads present. His claims follow controversy about the effectiveness of speed cameras and revelations last week in the national press of an internal briefing paper for Avon and Somerset safety partnership which spoke of a "target" of 150,000 fines for next financial year.
outlaw said:
NO NEVER, WELL FUCK ME.
I fort they were for safety.
Great minds think alike! I couldn't see the *news* in this!
It's a bit like a shock new report saying birds fly...
I guess the real point is that everyone on here knows. But it's another thing entirely for this to be published and to try and make Joe Public see sense.
Spot the edit
>> Edited by toad_oftoadhall on Thursday 11th December 16:59
Streaky 
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