SPEED cameras could be taken down following a review of their impact on road safety.

A study of 264 camera sites in Staffordshire was carried out to see if the speed traps were effective.


The review looked at every camera and placed them into one of 4 categories - Justified, Not Justified, Superseded (for example other road safety measure - speed humps etc) and Under- performing (not effective in reducing collisions where people were injured or killed).

Those that were classed as not justified or superseded will now be considered for removal, those that under performed will be investigated further.

The deciding factor in whether they were justified or not seems to be one of 2 things. Firstly they looked at the number of collisions for 3 years before the camera against a 3 year period after they were introduced and also a more vague. Chief Inspector Simon Tweats said - "We also look at the speed issue – we can monitor speed through the sites to give us a picture of driver behaviour over a period of time"

the findings apparently found that nearly all were justified.

It seems to us in our 20 years experience of dealing with motorists that the biggest gripe isn't the existence of speed cameras but their effectiveness and a feeling that the forces use them more as a way of raising revenue. Many clients have pointed out that they don't have cameras near schools which would be the obvious place to reduce speed. Many people argue that this is because most people do slow down near schools so the cameras would not earn as much money.

Particularly annoying it seems is where there is the impression of 'sneaky' tactics such as placing cameras within a feet of a speed change. One local camera to us is within 10 feet (and around a corner) of a 60 mph limit which drops to 30. Legally you could be driving at 60 and then expected to slow to 30 within a foot.

No one questions the need for safer driving but is this the most effective way? Should there be more speed signs, a gradual slowing down? Lights warning of your speed and more prominent warning signs when the speed is changing.

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