Swindon scraps speed cameras
* Council makes landmark decision * Funding to move to other safety schemes * Police insist cameras reduce accidents...
Swindon Council has withdrawn funding for fixed speed cameras.
The council said the decision was a result of new measures being required to cut road deaths and injuries as figures had started to rise. However, the local police force claims that the cameras had helped to cut accidents.
Revenue generated by speed cameras goes to the Government, but the Conservative-led borough council pays 320,000 a year to maintain them.
Following an independent review, councillors decided the money would be better spent on other safety measures, such as warning signs and street lighting.
'The Department for Transports annual results show that, nationally, only 6% of accidents are caused by people breaking speed limits, and yet almost 100% of the Government's road safety money is being invested in speed cameras,' said Peter Greenhalgh, the councillor who proposed the changes.
Wiltshire Police, however, said that there has been a 70% drop in serious accidents in areas where fixed speed cameras had been installed. A spokesman said that the force may increase the use of hand-held speed cameras to enforce the law instead.
There are currently three fixed speed cameras in Swindon and 13 mobile ones.
