Safe Speed Forums

NoSpeedCameras - epetition reply

26 January 2007

We received a petition asking:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Come clean about the FAILURE of Speed Cameras to reduce accident rates and then abolish all forms of automated speed detection."

* Read the petition
* Petitions home page

Read the Government's response

Safety cameras have been regularly proven to reduce speeds and casualties at camera sites. The independent four-year evaluation report of the National Safety Camera Programme assessed the effectiveness of cameras and found that after allowing for the long term trend, there was a 42 per cent reduction in death and injury at camera sites, including a reduction of over 100 fatalities per year. This and previous reports are available on the Department for Transport website (opens in new window).

Between 2003 and 2005 there was an increase in the number of dedicated traffic officers in England and Wales. The latest and most complete information we have on the number of dedicated traffic officers shows that in 2002-03 there were 6,902, in 2003-04 there were 6,702 and in 2004-05 there were 7,104 traffic officers. In addition, any police officer, whether or not engaged in specific traffic duties, can enforce road traffic legislation when necessary. Since coming to office, the Government has increased the number of police officers by over 14,000.

Cameras do not replace roads policing officers; they supplement their work through their continuous deterrent effect and by enabling more effective and simpler enforcement of speeding and red-light jumping, so that police can focus their road policing function on other offending.

* Information on Road Safety Cameras (opens in new window)

1. The Department’s joint statement with the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO) and the Home Office (DfT, ACPO and HO, 2005) recognises speeding as one
of the four most significant dimensions of unlawful, disorderly and dangerous road
vehicle use. It therefore provides a joint commitment to tackle this activity.
2. Safety cameras provide a valuable and cost-effective method of preventing, detecting
and enforcing speed and traffic light offences. They encourage changed.....