http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-w ... -23793867/Brunstrom says too much spent on speed cameras in North Wales
Jun 5 2009 by Tom Bodden, Daily Post
TOP cop Richard Brunstrom admitted too much time and energy was invested in speed cameras – instead of getting cops to tackle bad driving face-to-face.
The North Wales chief constable – once labelled the Mad Mullah of the traffic Taliban for his hardline speed camera policies – wants to give new powers to officers to slap on-the-spot fines on careless drivers.
He said officers weren’t challenging poor drivers enough because of the bureaucracy in the courts system.
He told an Assembly inquiry into casualty reduction he aims to target bad drivers in a crusade to make Welsh roads the safest in the world.
He said police will adopt a fresh approach to offences of careless driving not involving a collision.
And he called on the Assembly to back tougher targets for accident and casualty reduction in Wales.
“We aren’t challenging bad driving anywhere near as much as we should and we get rightly criticised for that,” Mr Brunstrom said. He conceded: “We’ve invested, I think, too much time and energy in robot cameras and not enough time in human interaction on the road when we find driving to a standard below that which is acceptable.”
He said traffic cops could use a more constructive approach in dealing with motorists.
Instead of a court summons, officers will use their discretion, including the option of a new fixed penalty ticket.
Firm enforcement will still apply in instances of dangerous, irresponsible driving, he said.
A combination of fixed penalties and driver re-education courses could be adopted, he suggested as a ‘constructive intervention rather than being flashed by one of those damn cameras’.
Welsh police supported separate targets for Wales and a 40% reduction both in deaths and serious injuries by 2020 compared to the 2004-08 average, rather than the 33% cut aimed for by the Department of Transport.
Casualty reduction among young people should be at least a 50% with the same figure applied to pedestrians and cyclists. He highlighted the ‘selfish, irresponsible high risk motorists who drive their vehicles with little or no regard for the welfare or safety of others, especially on rural roads’.
“The biggest single problem is men under 25 but there is a growing problem among professional women caught for speeding or dangerous driving.
“It has, for far too long, been too socially acceptable to be killed or injured in a road collision.
“Wales now has a once in a decade opportunity to set out its intentions.”
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