· Hundreds of cameras to enforce new 20mph zones

Hundreds of speed cameras are to be installed in residential areas under plans to reduce speed limits on rat runs and around schools to 20mph. The new restrictions are aimed at cutting the number of deaths caused by speeding drivers in 30mph zones. Many of those killed are children.
But the latest blitz was criticised by motorists’ groups, who say the police rely far too heavily on cameras to enforce speeding laws, and brought warnings of a backlash from drivers.
London is to lead the way in introducing the new cameras and towns and cities around Britain are expected to follow suit.
The plans are in response to growing anger at the other traffic calming measures such as road humps, which have been criticised by ambulance chiefs for costing hundreds of lives each year by delaying emergency responses.
Road safety experts say cameras could be more effective at enforcing the lowest speed limits.
Peter Hendy, managing director of surface transport at Mayor Ken Livingstone’s Transport of London, said: ‘We think we can demonstrate that speed cameras do save lives. We can demonstrate reducing speed in residential areas would save lives’.
Figures from the governments health development agency show that 5% of pedestrians hit by a car travelling at 20mph are killed, compared with 85% at 40mph.
Cathy Keeler, of road safety group Brake, welcomed the plans.
‘Most people are hit by vehicles in residential areas where you are most likely to find vunerable groups like youngsters, the elderly and cyclists’, she said.
But motorists groups were more cautious. Edmund King, executive director of the RAC foundation, said: ‘We are not against cameras. But we genuinely believe they could be used more effectively if they were targeted at the most dangerous spots.
‘There is a role for the camera enforcement at traffic lights and accident blackspots. But the camera should be one weapon in the police armoury rather than the entire arsenal’.
The number of speed cameras has swollen in recent years under the governments safety camera partnership scheme, which allows police forces to spend revenue from fines on new cameras.
Nationally, are set to exceed two million annually and are on course to top three million, police say. The number of cameras is predicted to rise to more than 7000.
A senior government advisor has warned that all cash raised from speed cameras fines should be ploughed back into road safety.
Professor David Begg, chairman of the commission for Integrated Transport, fears a backlash from motorists over the £20 million-a-year profit the Treasury is making from the ‘cash for cameras’ scheme.
‘Around 80 to 90 per cent of the money goes back into more speed cameras’, he said ‘About 10 per cent goes back to the Treasury.
‘What my commission is recommending is that all that money should go into road safety, not just cameras but also additional traffic police’.

r.massey@dailymail.co.uk
Daily Mail
15th December 2003