Safety cameras, the official jargon for speed cameras, are once again coming under scrutiny. ABTN believes that their usefulness to drivers and authorities can be dramatically improved.
Speeding motorists are a danger to others and to themselves. But who defines a speeding motorist? Is a 30mph sign erected 50 years ago to slow down side valve Morris Minors relevant today with most cars offering disk brakes and far superior handling? Or is the glut of cameras just an excuse to generate revenue? The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that in the financial year 2003/2004 ”113m was generated through the courts on speeding and traffic light offences of which the Treasury kept back ”21m. The balance of ”92m was supposed to be reinvested in road safety as payments back to the partnerships including the police, local highway authorities and magistrates” courts who operate within the safety camera programme. The figure is set to rise dramatically.
Statistics can be shown to just about prove anything but common sense dictates that speed cameras do help in slowing down traffic. However the profusion of cameras has meant a four-fold increase in prosecutions often against sensible law abiding citizens whose one sin (or in fact several sins) was to creep just above the speed the flasher is set at, probably on a dual carriageway, fine A road, or even for road works at a time when there is no labour force activity. Whilst they may have seen the the yellow speed camera box with the small speed limit signs often it does not register. Six points in three years is just too easy to come by and nine points indicates trouble with magistrates and problems with insurance and employment.
ABTN”s idea is very simple. We would like to see all safety cameras with the legal limit clearly marked and the speed limit also be painted on the road. The yellow backgrounds are already in place. Following pressure on the DfT in June 2002 guidelines were introduced resulting in the present system. All that is needed is the actual number, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60. On some roads it is possible to find at least three speeds within one mile. That is far too confusing and frankly not fair.
We repeat ourselves. ABTN strongly believes in the virtues of speed cameras. Their usefulness to drivers and authorities can be dramatically improved. Just show the road speed allowed. Yes it will bring down revenue but more important it will also reduce speed and make motorists feel that they are not being victimised all the time.