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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 22:27 
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It was proposed a while back and I have been meaning to 'get around to it' ever since !
I want to collate all the alterations being made to all Camera Partnership Cameras. From total removal to some removal.
I am happy to make it into a new webpage once I have more details.

So can we add to this thread as we hear any details of all areas that you hear about - from announcements off the TV/Radio to newpaper items - include all details so that I can verify them - links to newpaper items or Partnership websites is perfect, as they can be clearly verified, but do what you can, then I can 'verify' some and 'unverified / but expected' with other details.
Any and ALL discussions about the closures or alterations needs to happen elsewhere so feel free to post similar articles about closures (etc) in another thread for discussion.

It would be good to know the details of the alterations - what is being stopped / closed and what is being removed etc. So add what you know and all / any links to articles if you can. State if you have just 'heard it' from an unknown source.
This might need more than a thread but I can alter it later if it needs it.
Thank you in advance for all your help. :)

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 22:29 
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Wiltshire :

"Wiltshire’s speed camera unit closes next month" (Article: 4th September 2010)
"The cameras in neighbouring Wiltshire will be switched off at the end of next month" (article: September 02, 2010)

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 16:14 
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Derbyshire Country Council - Derby City - 12 wk trial from 27th Sept (VAS for 6wks) - story here :http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=23427 (from here : http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/ ... ticle.html

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 03:23 
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Local Government Here
Quote:
Speed camera switch-off gains momentum
04 August 2010 Source: LocalGov.co.uk - Robin Mannering

A county council’s decision to axe its network of speed cameras could be setting a nationwide trend as local authorities scramble to find savings.

Oxfordshire this week switched off all 72 of its fixed and 89 mobile cameras after withdrawing its £600,000 funding from the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, which operates the sites.

Other councils, faced with an approximate 25% reduction in road safety grant and an end to central funding for new cameras, are reviewing their policies.

Buckinghamshire County Council said it was ‘considering options’ and would be meeting the Thames Valley partnership to discuss how to move forward. In the South West, the Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership could cease to exist by the end of March 2011, unless ‘some sort of funding can be established before the end of the year’. In the short term, safety camera enforcement will continue in Devon and Cornwall with fewer resources, but the future is far from certain.

Kent County Council, faced with a £508,000 reduction in road safety grant, said it would ‘review the effectiveness’ of its speed cameras. ‘This will not be a knee-jerk reaction to a reduction in funding of cameras,’ added Nick Chard, cabinet member for environment, highways and waste. ‘The role a camera plays in safety on the road will be paramount. If a speed camera is contributing to safety, then we will give it very careful consideration.’

Gloucestershire County Council has ended investment in new cameras and will review how camera enforcement is planned. ‘This will save £363,000 this year. The existing network will continue to operate but cameras will be refilled less frequently,’ said Mark Hawthorne, leader of the council.

In Somerset, the Safety Camera Partnership (Safecam) recently removed nine of its 26 fixed-speed cameras because they had ‘done their job’ in improving road safety – rather than for financial reasons. Swindon Borough Council last year switched off fixed speed cameras on its patch - again, money was not the driving force. But this week the Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership was axed, due to a 27% cut to its annual budget. The decision means the remaining six mobile cameras in Swindon will be turned off, leaving the town without a single camera. Perhaps transport secretary, Philip Hammond, is succeeding in ending his so-called ‘war on motorists’.

But Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of road safety charity Brake, warned: ‘We are horrified that vital road safety work is grinding to a halt as a result of Draconian funding cuts.

‘We are urging local authorities around the country to spread these funding cuts across departments – to at least ensure that existing measures which are proven to prevent deaths and injuries are not withdrawn.’

However, Cumbria County Council, which relies largely on mobile enforcement, said it was ‘business as usual’. Safer Roads for Cumbria relies on only six static sites, using the more cost-effective digital cameras rather than wet film. But its fleet of camera-operating vans has helped drive down casualty numbers to a 25-year low because they have the flexibility to pop up at any given location, creating uncertainty for motorists, said spokesman Kevin Tea. He said it was an effective solution for cash-strapped rural and semi-rural councils.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 04:22 
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EDP24 Norfolk Speed Cameras set for Switch Off

Quote:
Norfolk speed cameras set for switch-off
MATTHEW SPARKES
Last updated: 22/09/2010 13:53:00

Speed camera
Speed cameras across Norfolk are set to be switched off as a cost-cutting measure.

Councillors approved plans to withdraw the budget for the safety devices at a meeting of the environment, transport and development scrutiny panel meeting today at County Hall in Norwich.

A proposal to slash all funding for the Safety Camera Partnership was approved by nine votes to four.

This would mean that all fixed speed cameras would be turned off or removed and that mobile enforcement vans would also be taken out of service.

Police officers would retain the authority to stop and charge speeders, but with the force also facing cuts it is unclear what level of enforcement they would be able to provide.

In a report to councillors, director of environment, transport and development, Mike Jackson, admitted that traffic speeds would be likely to increase without speed cameras and that “more people may be killed or seriously injured in the county”.

The issue will now go before the cabinet for a final decision at its next meeting on October 11.

Read tomorrow's EDP for more.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 08:09 
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Norfolk speed cameras to be axed

http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=NOED22%20Sep%202010%2019%3A49%3A17%3A257

Matthew Sparkes, EDP, 23 September 2010

Speed cameras across Norfolk are set to be scrapped to save more than £1 million in a move which the Association of Chief Police Officers has called a “kneejerk” reaction.

Councillors voted yesterday to withdraw the entire budget for the Safety Camera Partnership (SCP), which operates cameras, runs speedwatch schemes and carries out community safety programmes.

It also installs and maintains speed awareness signs which flash when drivers pass by over the speed limit.

The annual budget for the organisation is £1.6 million, which will offer savings of £1.1 million next year once the one-off £500,000 cost of closing it down is absorbed.

But it would also mean that all 23 fixed speed cameras in the county are turned off or removed and that mobile enforcement vans are taken out of service.

Police officers would retain the authority to stop and charge speeders, but with the force also facing personnel cuts of 10pc it is unclear what level of enforcement they would be able to provide.

Although awareness courses for speeding drivers would still be run by Norfolk County Council, the loss of the SCP would remove 90pc of referrals and cost it £180,000 in income.

Approval for the plans was given at a meeting of the environment, transport and development scrutiny panel at County Hall in Norwich.

Meanwhile, Suffolk currently has six fixed speed cameras and has made no decision on shutting them down or reducing their numbers.

The Suffolk SafeCam partnership has also been affected by a 40pc cut in its budget this year, leaving the future for its 28 staff unclear, but the county council has made no official decision.

In Norfolk, the proposal to slash all funding for the SCP was approved by nine votes to four over three less dramatic options which provided budget reductions.

The move was taken after central government reduced its road safety grant to the council by 40pc this year and announced that it would be removed entirely next year.

The grant was used to fund the entire SCP and, although government said councils could decide where to make the cuts and should not automatically reduce road safety budgets, it seems likely that this will be the outcome.

In a report to councillors, director of environment, transport and development, Mike Jackson, admitted that traffic speeds would be likely to increase without speed cameras and that “more people may be killed or seriously injured in the county”.

Norfolk has had an excellent record of reducing casualties since speed cameras were first introduced in 1997, ahead of the regional average, but there are still 400 fatal or serious injuries and 2,300 minor injuries each year.

These figures would be likely to rise once speed cameras are deactivated.

James Joyce, Liberal Democrat spokesman for community services, said: “We've managed to drive down the accident rate for children killed or seriously injured to really great levels. It's been a success and the cameras are part of that success.”

“We're talking about lives here. Lives are of vital importance. We have to find a way of funding it.”

But other members decided that it should no longer fall to the council to fund a reduction in speeding.

Mr John Ward, Conservative member of Norfolk County Council for Sprowston, said: “Speeding is breaking the law and therefore it's a matter for the police. I don't see why we should be doing their work for them.”

The issue will now go before the cabinet for a final decision at its next meeting on October 11.

If approved then a schedule for decommissioning the cameras will be drawn up.

Police inspector Ian Boggan, manager of the SCP, said: “My initial reaction is that we really need to pause and consider our position.”

“I would add that it's a responsibility of the constabulary to enforce legislation and at the end of the day we'll do that to the best of our ability with the resources we have available.”

Last month it was announced that 15 SCP staff out of a total of 30 would be redeployed or made redundant.

The Association of Chief Police Officers' lead of roads policing, chief constable Mick Giannasi, warned that the “kneejerk” move to cut costs could have serious repercussions.

He said: “The police service believes that the use of safety cameras has been a cornerstone of the success in reducing death and injuries on our roads and many lives have been saved since the introduction of speed cameras.

“They are an effective way of making drivers reduce their speed and drive more safely while penalising those who don't.

“Keeping people safe on our roads requires a concerted campaign, based on a variety of tactics to prevent irresponsible people from causing death and injury. Safety cameras are a vital part of that campaign. We need to look at the evidence and ask if a kneejerk reaction here is genuinely going to save money or whether it is just going to cost lives.

“Potentially we are heading for a significant short term reduction in existing camera enforcement capability. It would be a step backwards if that was allowed to happen indiscriminately. Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

It has also attracted criticism from RAC spokesman John Franklin, He said: “This decision could have serious consequences to road safety in Norfolk.”

“Speed cameras are an issue that divides many motorists and it's likely that some will applaud such a decision. However, it has been proved that speed cameras have helped to reduce accidents, reduce injuries and save lives at accident blackspots.

“Such a decision could reverse all the good road safety work over the past few years that has seen a consistent reduction in the number of road casualties.

“Also the abolition of the road safety education work could also have a detrimental impact on road safety. We understand that budgets are tight, with many services needing protection, but road safety is also a very important area.”


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 00:13 
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-11398668


I think this ist correct place? I surf to find lots of councils now vote to get rid of the scams. I guess - in cycnical mode - they not now making enough to fund the non-job creation because we all know where they are anyway now.... :popcorn:

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 02:33 
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Coventry - Considering their value - many don't work ...Thread topic Here- Here Coventry Telegraph
Coventry Telegraph Mary Griffin wrote:
Coventry's great speed camera con
Aug 19 2010 By Mary Griffin, Environment Reporter

HALF of Coventry’s speed cameras are broken, the Telegraph can reveal.
Seven of Coventry’s 16 fixed speed cameras are out of order, while five of the cameras aimed at catching people jumping red lights are not working.
But the council has not put signs on the defunct cameras to let drivers know they are out of operation.
Councillor Allan Andrews claims drivers are being conned.
He said: “It’s deceitful that so many of our cameras are not operational. It’s conning the people of Coventry.
“People have a right to know.”

Coun Andrews (Con, Earlsdon) is now calling for a review of the city’s speed cameras, saying it could be time to scrap them altogether.
He claims funding could be better spent on safer road design and increased traffic police.
The shadow spokesman for city services added: “This is not party political. It’s just about finding out whether cameras make Coventry’s roads safer.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 22:49 
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SafeSpeedv2 wrote:
Coventry - Considering their value - many don't work ...Thread topic Here- Here Coventry Telegraph
Coventry Telegraph Mary Griffin wrote:
Coventry's great speed camera con
Aug 19 2010 By Mary Griffin, Environment Reporter

HALF of Coventry’s speed cameras are broken, the Telegraph can reveal.
Seven of Coventry’s 16 fixed speed cameras are out of order, while five of the cameras aimed at catching people jumping red lights are not working.
But the council has not put signs on the defunct cameras to let drivers know they are out of operation.
Councillor Allan Andrews claims drivers are being conned.
He said: “It’s deceitful that so many of our cameras are not operational. It’s conning the people of Coventry.
“People have a right to know.”

Coun Andrews (Con, Earlsdon) is now calling for a review of the city’s speed cameras, saying it could be time to scrap them altogether.
He claims funding could be better spent on safer road design and increased traffic police.
The shadow spokesman for city services added: “This is not party political. It’s just about finding out whether cameras make Coventry’s roads safer.



Claire - not being bitchy - but i think i did post something about this some time ago, with reference to self same post in the CET . . :roll: :wink:

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 01:25 
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botach wrote:
Claire - not being bitchy - but i think i did post something about this some time ago, with reference to self same post in the CET . . :roll: :wink:
No that's fine. This area is a 'Collated List', than any discussion about each SCP. I add them when I see them - that might create a few repeats from Thread topics. By all means add links to those threads or let me or any admin know, and we can add in a link. :) NP. (No Problem).

Edited to Add : Lancashire ; The Citizen here
The Citizen - Sam Chadderton wrote:
Lancashire speed cameras that don't cut accidents to be axed
By Sam Chadderton 10:40am Thursday 14th October 2010

AT LEAST 30 of Lancashire's speed cameras are set to be turned off because they are not reducing accidents, it has been revealed.

Highways chief Tim Ashton said the full results of a review of every single camera were ‘imminent’.
But the county councillor revealed between 30 and 40 of Lancashire’s 290 fixed sites were ‘not performing’.
Those axed would remain in place, but with a bag placed over them, Coun Ashton said.
The review was prompted by the government’s decision to cut funding for road safety partnerships.

But Coun Ashton said no final decision had yet been made on the future of the Lancashire partnership, which operates the county's speed camera network on behalf of councils and the police.

A £1.2million funding grant has already been withdrawn, but the county council pumped in an extra £600,000 in to keep the partnership going this financial year.
The county council was unable to provide figures on how much would be saved if 30 speed cameras were turned off.
It is not known if any of the sites turned over a profit through fines issued to motorists.

Coun Ashton said: "We are looking at the data to see where they have worked in terms of reducing serious injuries and some less serious injuries.
“We have to analyse that a little bit further, but where a speed camera doesn’t work I believe it is an unfair tax on the motorist.
"It is taking money off them because they are going a bit too fast but not causing accidents.
“I’d rather use that money on more effective methods of reducing accidents - which we are committed to doing in Lancashire."
On the partnership, he said: They’re going to have to work a bit cleverer in terms of enforcement.
“The number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads has got to come down and the RSP may be the right way to do it."

There are 290 fixed speed cameras on Lancashire’s highways as well as six mobile enforcement vans rotated around 155 sites of ‘community concern’ plus 70 ‘core sites’ as part of the casualty reduction strategy.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 30, 2010 13:20 
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Finally the date they've been so cagey about...

Quote:
Closure of the Wiltshire & Swindon Safety Camera Partnership

The Safety Camera Unit offices at Devizes will close on the 29th October 2010.


http://www.safetycameraswiltshire.co.uk/

:drink:


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 18:19 
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Confirmed by BBC

Speed camera partnership in Wiltshire closes

The unit in charge of speed cameras and speed awareness courses in Wiltshire and Swindon has closed, with the loss of 40 jobs.

The safety camera partnership shut on Friday due to a cut in funding.

Some 65,000 drivers have been on speed awareness courses since 2006 in Swindon, Salisbury and Trowbridge.

Swindon's council, a member of the partnership, was the first English local authority to abandon fixed speed cameras one year ago.

The partnership was made up of Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council.

Wiltshire Police said it would continue to enforce speed limits after the cameras were switched off.

A 27% cut in revenue from the Department for Transport to English local authorities has been blamed for the safety camera partnership's closure.


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PostPosted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 23:06 
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Car crash fatalities predicted to rise in Halton as speed cameras turned off

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HALTON'S speed cameras will be switched off on January 18.

Safety chiefs fear residents will pay the penalty in increased road deaths after the cost-cutting measures.

The comments came yesterday as Halton Borough Council transport officers met to discuss what to do about a complete cut to its road safety capital grant.

A report accompanying the meeting said Cheshire police had indicated Halton’s safety cameras would be switched off on New Year’s Day if other funds were not found.

Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership manager Lee Murphy told the Weekly News earlier this week that he had no knowledge that the cameras’ days were numbered, but the partnership has since confirmed they will be switched off.

The council report claimed reducing road injuries was possible without speed cameras, but that more crashes are likely.

It stated: “It is very probable that casualties will rise in Halton in the years ahead through loss of this grant and the halving of our road safety staff numbers.

“Lack of funds to keep the CSRP operating in its current form and fund police camera enforcement could also impact on incident numbers.”

In June last year the Government stopped Road Safety Grants (RSG). The budget for road safety staff and running costs was slashed by 73%.

The cut means the borough will lose nearly £400,000 in annual RSG, £238,000 of which goes to the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership (CSRP) – a joint effort between the county’s four councils and other agencies.

Options include trimming the CSRP to 30% of its current service, but the partnership itself has conceded that its future beyond April is ‘unlikely to be viable’.

Halton Council’s environment and urban renewal policy (EURP) board has recommended that the borough stops paying towards CSRP.

The council hopes Cheshire police will use surplus speed awareness course cash to fund enforcement on the roads.

A CSRP spokesman said: “Reluctantly, from January 18 safety camera sites will no longer be operational across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington – although speeding offences committed at the camera sites before this date will be pursued.

“Vigorous police enforcement will continue through other methods.”

Halton is the unitary authority covering Runcorn and Widnes in Cheshire, and has AFAIK about 8 or 10 fixed camera sites.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:57 
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This is Exeter here
Quote:
Speed camera funding row could lead to cutbacks

SQUABBLING over speed camera funding could result in massive cutbacks to operations on the Westcountry's main roads, it has emerged.

Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership's budget has already been slashed after in-year cuts were imposed last summer – resulting in half of its 40 staff losing their jobs.

Funding for the partnership, a joint venture between the police, Highways Agency and four local authorities, is also in line for a further 60 per cent cut.

It resulted in a row between the Highways Agency and local councils, which have threatened to axe enforcement on main roads – such as the M5, A38 and A30 – that the agency is responsible for.

Cuts in road-safety funding coincided with a 41 per cent increase in the number of serious accidents in the last nine months of last year.

"I am concerned about the funding for the partnership," said assistant chief constable Paul Netherton, who is responsible for roads policing for Devon and Cornwall Police.

"Speed cameras do have an impact on peoples' speed and we know that the faster they go, the more likely they are to have an accident and the more serious that accident will be."

A final budget for the partnership has

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:38 
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This is Cornwallhere
this is Cornwall wrote:
Massive cutbacks could mark end to speed cameras on busy West roads
End to speed cameras on busy West roads?

By chief reporter

Squabbling over speed camera funding could result in massive cutbacks to operations on the Westcountry's main roads, the Western Morning News has learned.
The budget of the Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership has already been slashed after cuts were imposed last summer – with the loss of half of its 40 staff.
Funding for the partnership, a joint venture between the police, Highways Agency and the four main local authorities, is also in line for a further 60 per cent cut. And sources told the WMN that had resulted in a row between the Highways Agency and local councils, which have threatened to axe enforcement on main roads – such as the M5, A38 and A30 – which the agency is responsible for.

Concerns have already been raised that the cuts in road safety funding has coincided with a 41 per cent increase in serious accidents.
"I am concerned about the funding for the safety camera partnership," said Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton, who is responsible for roads policing for Devon and Cornwall Police.
"Speed cameras do have an impact on people's speed and we know that the faster they go, the more likely they are to have an accident and the more serious that accident will be."

A final budget for the partnership has yet to be agreed, although Devon County Council's contribution is expected to drop from £620,000 to £237,000. Torbay has proposed a cut from £118,000 to £66,500. No figures were available from Cornwall Council or Plymouth City Council.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said it would "continue to contribute" to the safety camera partnership.
But he added: "What the agency won't do under any circumstances is pay any contribution towards county council roads."

A spokesman for the partnership said all parties "continue to express a desire to continue with speed and red light enforcement across Devon and Cornwall". He said its budget would be confirmed in the next few weeks.
Although unpopular with many motorists, the network of 90 speed cameras in Devon and Cornwall has helped to significantly reduce deaths on the region's roads.

Overall, the number of collisions, including those resulting in deaths, has fallen by 40 per cent over the last five years. Currently, around 60 people die each year on the roads of Devon and Cornwall.

However, from April to December last year, serious accidents increased by 41 per cent – from 309 to 437 – compared to the same period in 2009. Fatal accidents fell from 55 to 43.

Joel Hickman, spokesman for the road safety charity Brake, said: "Every road death costs society £1.7million."

Mr Netherton admitted that any reduction in funding would "put more burden" on traffic officers.
"Speeding is the number one community concern in the peninsula," he said.

Last year's cuts to road safety were imposed by the Department for Transport.
A spokesman for the department said: "We ended central government funding for new fixed speed cameras because we don't believe we should dictate to councils that they use them as the default solution in reducing accidents.
"It is not true, however, that the Government has cut all funding for road safety. Rather, we have removed ring-fencing from local authority grants so that councils are able to set their own priorities."

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 06:06 
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Road.cc here
road.cc - Mark Appleton wrote:
Updated: :South Gloucestershire to axe speed cameras?

By Mark Appleton - Posted on 22 February 2011

Also on road.cc
* Updated: West Country faces complete fixed speed camera switch off
* Less than half of the speed cameras in England & Wales work says Which? study
* Speed camera data to be published to justify their use says Minister
* Northamptonshire speed cameras face switch off as government cuts start to bite
* South Yorkshire to trial speed camera switch-off despite police opposition

South Gloucestershire could become the latest county to switch off its fixed speed cameras following the council’s decision not fund them after April, reports the BBC.

The authority would be the second in the south west to do so following a lead set by Somerset council which also said it could not afford to fund its fixed camera programme.

Gloucestershire’s funding for a wider regional speed camera programme will run out at the end of March.

And according to the minutes of a meeting, obtained by the BBC, "funding uncertainties" could mean that cameras in neighbouring areas may also be turned off.

South Gloucestershire Council contributed £141,842 in 2010/11 to the West of England Road Safety Partnership which in turn funds Safecam, the body that operates road safety cameras on its behalf.

A council spokesperson told the road. cc: "Safecam will be disbanded on March 31 and Avon & Somerset Constabulary will then be responsible for camera enforcement and for running the driver education programme."

The cuts come as central government withdraws funding for speed camera operations.

The spokesperson continued: "The council is committed to road safety and the cameras are just one element of a wider strategy. Education, training and road engineering all contribute to making South Gloucestershire's roads amongst the safest in the country."

Councils in Bristol, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset are due to make their decisions on the funding of speed camera programmes in the next few weeks.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 23:54 
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Essex : County’s speed cameras ‘will not be switched off
Southend Standardhere
Steve Hackwell wrote:
County’s speed cameras ‘will not be switched off
By Steve Hackwell 7:00am Sunday 27th March 2011

SPEED cameras in Essex will not be switched off to save money, despite dozens of counties scaling back their road safety measures.
Police and Essex County Council are adamant they have no plans to cut costs by reducing the number of yellow boxes.

The declaration comes in the wake of several councils’ decisions to leave their camera networks to rot as the Government’s public spending cuts begin to bite.
Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire county councils are among those to have already said they will not replace camera films once they run out.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Despite recent financial pressures, Essex continues to operate cameras and more than 100 speed cameras are active.
“At any one time, one-third of the speed cameras across the county are live and recording data, and the locations are changed on a daily basis.
“The other cameras are working just as effectively to get drivers to slow down in key areas as they see the yellow boxes ahead.” There are more than 100 speed and red-light cameras in Essex, split between the county council and the police.

Southend has the largest number, at 29.
It is followed by Basildon, Wickford and Billericay with 17, and Colchester with ten. Chelmsford has nine, while Castle Point has just four.

The average speed camera costs £20,000 to install, with extra maintenance charges and the cost of replacing the 400-photograph film.
However, some have been known to net several thousand pounds a day in speeding fines.

Ellen Booth, campaigns officer for road safety charity Brake, said it was important to maintain the deterrent.
She said: “Speed cameras will only deter drivers from speeding if drivers believe they are switched on.”


See Forum thread here.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 00:04 
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BBC News England here
BBC News England wrote:
Avon and Somerset fixed speed cameras to stop working
23 March 2011 Last updated at 14:21
Speed camera in Bristol Fixed speed cameras across Avon and Somerset will stop working at the end of March.

Fixed speed cameras across Avon and Somerset will stop working from the end of March, the BBC understands.

Safecam, the organisation which manages the cameras for the councils, was officially disbanded on Wednesday.
Digital cameras will stop working when a contract with BT finishes at the end of March while wet film stocks have already been exhausted.

Avon and Somerset Police will now only use mobile camera vans for speed enforcement.
The closure of Safecam has led to three posts in Taunton being axed and jobs in the Bristol unit which processes fines being reduced from 44 to 30.
The closure of the organisation means responsibility for fixed cameras transfers to local councils.
Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire have already said they will not fund the cameras.
Faced with the spending cuts which all local authorities are faced with, some difficult decisions had to be made.”End Quote Ch Supt Lawrie Lewis

Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset councils said they had not yet decided on funding, but without a contract with BT for digital cameras or any film stock, the cameras will stop working.

Ch Supt Lawrie Lewis, the chairman of the road safety partnership, said the alternative of using mobile cameras would help to "save lives".
"Faced with the spending cuts which all local authorities are faced with, some difficult decisions had to be made.
"That difficult decision has led us to a situation where we believe the flexibility of mobile enforcement gives us the best opportunity... to deliver a service to the public."

The future of the partnership had been in doubt following cuts in government funding.
Several options were considered, including outsourcing some of its work to neighbouring Dorset Constabulary.
Another option would have seen more speeding drivers made eligible for awareness courses to bring in more revenue.

An independent report by Deloitte claimed the move could raise an extra £240,000 per year.
But these options were all rejected.

Thread here.

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 00:36 
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About MyArea (Northamptonshire) here
James Rudd wrote:
Northants Police Committed To Road Safety
Author: James Rudd Published: 23rd March 2011 13:30
Northants Police committed to road safety

Northamptonshire Police remains committed to making our roads safe and will continue to run operations to tackle motorists found to be breaking the law.

This pledge comes after the decision to dissolve the Northamptonshire Casualty Reduction Partnership from April 1, following the withdrawal of funding.

Although the Partnership will cease to exist, police operations to tackle those motorists found to be breaking the law will continue, with officers involved in the annual drink drive campaigns, mobile speed camera operations and the Fatal Four campaign.

Northamptonshire Police will also be operating four mobile safety camera vans that will continue to be deployed to those areas of the county where speeding has been identified as a concern.

Chief Inspector Sean Bell from Specialist Operations, said: “Although the Casualty Reduction Partnership will no longer exist from 1 April, I would like to reassure people that we remain committed to keeping the county’s roads as safe as possible.

“We take the issue of road safety extremely seriously and will continue to take part in operations to tackle those people who put other people’s lives at risk.

“Driving under the influence of drink or drugs, using a mobile phone, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt are the four key causes of collisions involving death or serious injury in the UK, and our Fatal Four campaign targets and will continue to target, motorists committing those offences.”

As well as the annual drink drive operations and the Fatal Four campaign, officers from our Safer Community Teams will continue to work alongside partners to tackle specific road safety concerns.

Last year we saw a further reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Northamptonshire’s roads, the lowest number since official records began in 1960.

Twenty-five people lose their lives on Northamptonshire’s roads in 2010. This represents a 48 per cent reduction compared to the baseline period of 1994 to 1998 when an average of 48 people lost their lives per year and is something we want to continue reducing.

Chief Inspector Bell, said: “Our Community Safety Teams will also continue to take part in various road safety operations when concerns have been raised with them, including drink drive, speeding and illegal parking operations.

“We will also continue to operate four mobile safety camera units that will be deployed across the county when a need to tackle speeding motorists arises.”

Thread topic here.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:32 
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Coventry Telegraph here
Coventry Telegraph wrote:
Speed camera funding slashed for county
Apr 27 2011

FUNDING for Warwickshire speed cameras has been slashed drastically – despite council claims they have helped cut deaths and injuries.

A £1.2 million grant for speed camera enforcement has been axed under government cuts. Just £250,000 has now been
allocated in the county council’s budget.

The funding cut means that although there will be the same number of fixed speed camera sites, they will not all be switched on at the same time and the number of mobile vans has been cut from six to three. These will focus on the sites with the worst casualty history.

The budget cuts have also reduced the funding available for other measures that can address speeding such as safety schemes, education, training and publicity. Some road safety services are now being charged for and others utilise volunteers.

Cash for speed camera enforcement will now come from Warwickshire County Council’s revenue and surplus from running speed awareness workshops (SAWs), aimed at educating less “serious” speeders.

Road safety charity Brake has campaigned furiously against the funding cuts.

Ellen Booth, Brake’s campaigns officer, said the bottom line wasn’t money, it was “life and death.”
“When people talk about speed cameras being a ‘cash cow’ they entirely miss the point,” she said.
“Speed tickets are issued to people who break the law. Speeding is a criminal and deadly offence and deserves to be punished.
“Fixed speed cameras continue to be an invaluable – and economic – safety resource that slow traffic down and reduce the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads.”

The council says deaths and serious injuries on Warwickshire’s roads have more than halved over the past decade – from 639 in 2001 to 301 last year.
Despite the cuts, the council says it will be able to maintain its good track record of reducing casualties.

Councillor Richard Hobbs, portfolio holder for community protection, said: “Making Warwickshire a safer place to live remains a key priority of the county council and road safety forms an important element of our work in this area.
“Our policy of targeting resources to prevent the greatest number of casualties and create the safest road network possible has served us well with serious and fatal casualties reducing faster than the national average and government targets.
“However, as we confront the biggest spending challenge the county council has ever had, we need to review the way we deploy our available resources to ensure we continue to deliver the greatest possible road safety benefits for Warwickshire’s road users and communities.”

Warwickshire County Council’s communities overview and scrutiny committee will discuss all speed reduction options – including speed cameras, vehicle activated signs, SAWs, community-based initiatives, lower speed limits, education and traffic calming – when it meets tomorrow (Thursday).
To Debate please see thread here

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