Swindon, a town in the county of Wiltshire in the South West of England, will no longer be funding its speed cameras.
The announcement comes as Swindon's nine-member council cabinet voted to cease funding the town's three fixed cameras and instead spend money on other road-safety measures such as warning signs and lighting.
In order to maintain the speed cameras, Swindon council has revealed that it's required to pay £320,000 on an annual basis. Yet all revenue created by speed-camera fines goes entirely to the government. However, the council adds that it isn't just a financial matter. It claims that road-related accidents had risen in the last two years, and that speed cameras simply weren't effect enough.
The news will come as a blessing to many motorists, and of course continuous anti-speed-camera campaigners such as Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson. However, Labour’s transport spokesman Coun Derique Montaut reiterates that the importance of road safety is paramount. In an interview with the Swindon Advertiser, he states:
I have said time and time again that this is not about speed cameras – this is about doing our best to reduce road accidents in Swindon. I did not become a councillor to be hailed as a hero on Top Gear. It’s very easy to make this a laughing matter but this a serious issue and that is how we have treated it.
The issue is road safety – why am I the only one talking about people being killed on our roads? I have never said that speed cameras don’t work – of course they do. They are effective in stopping people speeding in a particular spot but they are not effective in stopping people being killed or seriously injured on our roads.
The number of accidents on our roads has risen, despite the presence of speed cameras, and it’s clear that something has to be done about that.
Peter Greenhalgh, the Tory councillor who originally suggested that Swindon cease speed-camera funding, disagrees. In an interview with the BBC, he states:
The Department for Transport annual results - published on the 25th of September - 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. I can see that's wrong and I think the people of this country can see that's wrong.
Although fixed cameras in Swindon will soon be a thing of the past, Greenhalgh adds that Wiltshire Police may now increase the number of mobile speed checks - carried out via hand-held cameras.
We've yet to hear any response from other regional council members, but we may see other town's follow suit. Particularly if Swindon councillors are able to reduce road accidents via other means.
