Speed Cameras Found To Be Ineffective In UK

SPEED CAMERAS INEFFECTIVE

And law-abiding drivers are paying the price

A BBC Radio 4 documentary to be aired tonight at 8pm exposes the ineffectiveness of speed cameras.

Apparently, of the 500,000 people caught by speed cameras in London each year one third cannot be traced - either because they are foreign vehicles, or because they are not registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Technical faults also account for some of the shortfall.

About 350,000 people who have been caught are sent a "Notice of Intent to Prosecute", but only 48% end up getting points on their licences and a fine.

The problem isn�t just confined to London, and there was evidence that false address details were being given by some drivers when registering their cars to evade prosecution if they were caught.

The Association of Chief Police Officers traffic spokesman, Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes, said detection rates for all crimes was 30% and that in that context speed camera offences were being reasonably enforced.

Kevin Delaney, former head of the Met's traffic police, said the figures were evidence of a wider problem that speed cameras can only catch people who are basically law-abiding.

"Any form of remote detection such as speed cameras relies on the information supplied by the public.

"If that is not correct then remote detection immediately falls flat. You need traffic police to catch the problem drivers."

Dianne Ferreira, communications officer for road safety charity Brake, said speed cameras were "a proven deterrent".

She added: "It's crucial that the camera system works properly. If many people are evading prosecution then the system needs to be looked at.

"It's important that drivers do not get the message that somehow it's all right to speed. A system that saves lives should not be faulty."

However, Paul Smith of campaign group Safe Speed said the system was a "disaster from beginning to end" and that they made road safety "worse" by "misdirecting life-saving resources".

Smith added: "Enough is enough. Speed cameras are a bad joke. Let's pull the plug. They are at the heart of a failed policy that's costing real lives."