Thursday 13th May 2010

Will Tories Live Up To Speed Camera Pledge?

UK looks to new government for promised action on fixed cameras

---

Will Hammond keep Camera pledges?

"We will stop central funding for new fixed speed cameras and focus on better ways to make our roads safe, including authorising 'drugalyser' testing technology.

"Road users have had a raw deal under Labour, so we will:

• Crack down on road works, introducing lane rental for some of our busiest roads
• Give more powers to local councils to get traffic moving
• Crack down on rogue clampers
• Introduce a lorry road user charge, so foreign lorries pay their fair share of tax
• Consult on our Fair Fuel Stabiliser
• Facilitate the switch to green cars by creating a national car recharging network.

"We will free local transport funding from the requirement to introduce congestion charging and create a Transport Carbon Reduction Fund to support green projects such as initiatives to encourage walking, cycling and bus use or measures to help reduce the need for work-related travel - supported by our roll-out of fast broadband... etc. etc."

Local authorities fund many cameras

Outlined above are the pledges the Conservatives made to voters before the election, and which anyone can read today on the party's policy website.

So will be the new Tory-led government live up to its promise to stop spending our taxes on new speed camera schemes? We'll all be watching with interest, particularly as Conservative Phillip Hammond has been appointed Transport Secretary in the new Lib-Con cabinet.

In order to try and work out where we stand today, PistonHeads has asked the Highways Agency for a complete list of the Agency's involvement in existing Speed Camera projects that have yet to be completed and require further central funding, and another list of all planned and/or proposed Speed Camera sites, schemes or projects that will require central funding in order to go ahead.

Satellite spies are waiting in the wings...

Are we right to assume the Tory pledge sounds the death knell for schemes like the nefarious satellite tracking 'Speed Spike' system that's currently on trial? We'll let you know what they tell us...

[2blackhats]

I'd like to think they will honour their pledges, but I can't help thinking that once in govt the lure of all that lovely money from fines will be too strong to resist.
We shall see...