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DoT denies siting speed cameras to make money
Page 7
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II A study into the use of speed cameras suggests their location has more to do with raising revenue than savng lives.
Research by Autocar magazine has found there are 33% more cameras on the UK's 50 safest roads than on its 50 most dangerous ones.
The findings should concern hauliers because government figures published earlier this summer show that a higher proportion of truck drivers break speed limits on non-urban roads than other motorists. Autocardaims there are no cameras on the 4889 in Scotland, even though the AA has dubbed it the most dangerous road in Britain, with 875 serious and fatal accidents between 1997 and 1999.
Another accident blackspot—the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton—is also said to be unmonitored, despite being the scene of 496 serious accidents in two years.
But the Department for Transport has serious reservations about the validity of the figures, saying there are cameras every 36 miles on the safest roads and every 28 miles on more dangerous roads.
"It is likely that roads where cameras have been in place for some time are rated as safe in this survey simply because they have cameras on them," says a spokesperson.
The DoT's latest figures on vehicle speeds on nonurban roads indicate that 88% of artics are breaking the 50mph limit on dual carriageways while 76% of them are breaking the 40mph speed limit on single carriageways.
On urban roads 55% of twoaxle trucks break the 30mph speed limit, says the DoT, compared with 65% of cars.
Karen Dee, director of policy for the Road Haulage Association, says there is already concern within the industry about the location of speed cameras.
'We believe that if they are going to act as a deterrent then they should be visible. We don't condone speeding but cameras can't be a deterrent if they're hidden behind trees," she adds.