MPs back more speed cameras (From Witney Gazette)

MPs back more speed cameras

9:00am Wednesday 8th November 2006 in Witney

MPs have demanded more speed cameras to prevent deaths on Oxfordshire's roads.

The county already uses cameras at 107 sites - 74 where cameras are fixed in place and 33 policed by mobile patrols.

The House of Commons transport committee said it wanted more funding made available so more sites could be covered by cameras.

In its report, Roads Policing and Technology, the committee said cameras were an "effective deterrent" to drivers breaking the speed limit.

It pointed to evidence which showed 42 per cent fewer people were killed or seriously injured in crashes at sites which had fixed speed cameras.

The committee urged the Government to improve the impact of speed cameras by using more advanced technology, such as average speed cameras, and better publicity campaigns.

The MPs described as a "disgrace" Department for Transport guidelines which stated that preventable deaths and injuries must occur at a location before a speed camera can be installed.

Committee chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody said: "The relationship between speed and collisions is so well proven that the casualty criteria requirement is unnecessary and even irresponsible.

"Evidence of excessive speed is evidence of danger, and there is no need to wait for somebody to die in order to take action intended to slow vehicles.

"It is clear that cameras are effective, good value for money, and well accepted by the public."

The committee also called for more police officers on the roads.

Mrs Dunwoody said: "We deplore the long-term marginalisation of roads police officers. Technology must support roads police officers, not replace them."

According to the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads where cameras were located fell by 44 per cent over the five years to 2005.

That compared with a 24 per cent reduction across all roads in the region.

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said he would back extra speed cameras as long as they could be shown to improve road safety.

He said: "Where there's a real need for them, I'm a supporter.

"For example, residents of busy Morrell Avenue in Oxford hoped a camera could be installed to enforce a 30mph speed limit.

"People get aggrieved where they are putting up cameras to rake in extra money.

"We don't want them scattered all over the place. Whenever one is put in, it should be on safety grounds."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Independent research shows speed cameras have a valuable role to play in improving road safety."

The Government will respond to the report in full later this year.

Dan Campsall, of the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, said: "We welcome the opportunity to reduce the risks across a broader area of the road network, but cameras should only be placed where there is an identifiable concern."