The Government’s position on road safety took a more surprising hit this week as the AA accused ministers of creating a ‘policy void’ that risked lives.

The motorist group has written to transport secretary, Phillip Hammond, accusing him of creating a ‘public backlash’ rather than ending the ‘war on the motorist’.

The AA said its polls of motorists consistently showed that around 70% of people accept the use of cameras. It has called on both central and local government to ‘think hard’ about the consequences of turning off cameras.

Edmund King, AA president, said: ‘Locally, decisions are being made based on harsh financial reality, coupled with perceptions of what the Government’s longer term intentions might be.

‘Local people are more concerned about the “battle to save lives” on local roads that could become racetracks rather than any “war on the motorist”.

‘Cameras will never be loved but their use is accepted by the majority of motorists.’

Elsewhere, Portsmouth City Council has revealed it will remain in the Hampshire Safer Roads Partnership until the end of the current financial year. However, the future of the partnership looks in doubt.

Council leader, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, told Surveyor he believed the Government’s policy had made speed cameras unaffordable.

‘The likelihood is at the end of the financial year everyone will be forced to switch their cameras off.

‘It looks as if [the Treasury] is going to keep all the money from the fines and not give any back to those operating the cameras. It costs a lot of money to operate them and I expect many in local government will say no we are not going to do this anymore.’