Speed Camera News Accidents rise despite presence of speed cameras
http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2099023_accidents_rise_despite_presence_of_speed_cameras
Accidents rise despite presence of speed cameras
By Mike Wright
September 01, 2011
FARNBOROUGH Road saw an increase in crashes last year, despite a campaign to hit speeding drivers with fines from speed cameras, the latest figures have shown.
The A325 and Blackwater Valley Relief Road were among the main routes across the area that were targeted with mobile speed cameras.
Information released by Hampshire’s Safer Roads Partnership has shown where it is deploying devices to monitor drivers’ speed. Other roads that were targeted in Hampshire during August were the A30 between Blackwater and Hook and Reading Road in Yateley.
However, figures have not yet been released about how many people were caught speeding, nor how much the partnership makes from each speed camera, despite calls from the government to do so.
The information was released last week as part of a push by the Department for Transport to attempt to convince drivers that speed cameras were effective at cutting speeding and making the country’s most dangerous roads safer.
Yet other areas, such as Thames Valley, which covers Sandhurst, have released data on the amount of drivers who have been caught speeding by cameras.
Statistics showed that one camera on Sandhurst High Street was catching an average of 15 speeding vehicles a day in 2006, which if each driver was fined £60, could have netted the partnership £900 a day, or £328,500 a year from a single camera. By 2009 the same camera saw the daily average drop to around six speeders.
Government ministers said they wanted to see all areas following suit so residents could see how effective speed cameras were at cutting accidents.
Mike Penning, road safety minister, said: “Local residents have a right to expect that when their council spends money on speed cameras, they publish information to show whether those cameras are helping to reduce accidents or not.
“I hope that this information will help local people to make informed judgements about the impact cameras are having on their local roads.
“However, residents can only hold their council to account if it has made information available so I would urge those councils which have not yet published their data to do so as soon as possible.”
Figures released by Hampshire’s Safer Roads Partnership showed 39 people were hurt on the A325 Farnborough Road between April 2011 and April 2010, five of whom were seriously injured or killed.
The number of crashes was up slightly from 37 the year before. It dwarfed the number of accidents on the area’s main trunk road, the A331 Blackwater Valley relief road, where there were 10 crashes, one of which was serious or fatal.
On the Reading Road in Yateley there were three crashes and the A30 between Blackwater and Hook saw 10 accidents.
The release of the data on crashes and speed cameras was praised by crash charity Brake.
The organisation said it demonstrated they helped cut drivers’ speeds and potential accidents.
Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director, said: “Rigorous academic studies have shown fixed speed cameras are exceptionally effective in reducing speeds, crashes and casualties, preventing families going through the unnecessary trauma and pain of a road death or injury.
“These studies have also demonstrated that speed cameras pay for themselves several times over by preventing costly casualties. They are therefore a proven way to improve safety without costing the taxpayer.”
(Ban the Cams note: SUREEE, you mean like the ones the UK Government were CAUGHT UNDER REPORTING ON! http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/29/2913.asp)
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