Speed cameras don't work -- it's official.
Trials on the M42 near Birmingham found that devices which shamed drivers passing roadworks into slowing down were more effective than speed cameras, even though no penalties were issued.
That's according to a piece in this morning's Times newspaper, which said that the vehicle-activated devices showed drivers' numberplates on a big sign at the roadside, rather than snapping them and issuing penalty notices. The trials were conducted in a 50 mph temporary limit, and discovered that half the vehicles travelling faster than 55mph slowed down to close to the speed limit, including two thirds of those exceeding 60mph.
The Department for Transport (DfT) found that a similar area infested with cameras only slowed a third of cars, and they soon speeded up after passing the camera. And the cameras were generating thousands of pounds, confirming that they're not effective in slowing people down.
Road campaign Safe Speed said that this was a move in the right direction, but that it didn't come with an admission from the DfT that "speed cameras have comprehensively failed as a road safety intervention".
According to Safe Speed, research commissioned by the Highways Agency and uncovered by Safe Speed using the Freedom of Information Act, warns that fixed speed cameras are associated with a 55 per cent increase in injury crashes at motorway road works.
Campaign founder Paul Smith said: "Speed cameras don't work, and I'm very relieved to hear that we will not be using them as often in the future. However, part of the problem is an excessive degree of focus on numerical vehicle speed and it seems we will have to wait some more before Department for Transport wakes up to reality.
"I am quite sure that Department for Transport is now aware of the failure of its policies but is refusing to admit it. This is an appalling state of affairs - people are dying on our roads simply because ministers are not prepared to admit their mistakes.
"We will not get road safety back on track until all the speed cameras are scrapped."
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