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Swindon axes speed cameras
23 October 2008
Swindon’s speed cameras are to be removed after local councillors voted to withdraw funding for them in what is being hailed as a landmark decision.
The nine member ‘cabinet committee’ of Conservative-led Swindon and Wiltshire council voted unanimously to end £350,000 of funding a year for fixed cameras. Any revenues that these cameras generate are paid directly to central Government.
“Nationally, only six per cent of accidents are caused by people breaking speed limits," said councillor Peter Greenhalgh, citing a recent Department for Transport study. "Yet almost 100 per cent of the government's road safety money is being invested in speed cameras. I can see that’s wrong.”
Not everyone agrees with the decision to abolish fixed cameras. Local Labour councilors are opposed to the decision and Wiltshire Police claim the speed cameras are responsible for a 70 per cent drop in serious accidents.
Local police officers will now be carrying out more mobile speed checks.
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