Swindon Borough Council is being urged to re-think its plans to withdraw speed camera funding, as the cabinet prepares to make its decision next month.

Conservative councillors at the borough are backing plans to scrap speed cameras after research indicated they were not the most effective way of reducing collisions, in addition to their frustration that revenues raised by cameras went straight to the Government.

The council is considering withdrawing the £400,000 to £500,000 it puts towards the Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership in order to use the money in other ways, such as traffic calming (Surveyor, 17 July).

But South Swindon Labour MP, Anne Snelgrove, delivered a letter to the council’s civic offices last week, asking the council to continue its participation in the partnership.

Snelgrove said: ‘It is ridiculous that council members are talking about speed bumps and other traffic-calming devices instead of cameras – they work on some roads but not on dual carriageways in Swindon. They want to pull out of one of the most successful safety camera partnerships in the country. This is a maverick council out of control which needs to apply the brakes.’

She added that she was confident the council would think again about the issue.

However, Councillor Peter Greenhalgh, lead member for highways, transport and strategic planning, said he was still determined to see speed cameras scrapped.

Greenhalgh said: ‘I am still pushing for it and it will probably happen. We are committed to road safety but speed cameras are not the way.

‘The Government should pay for them, if that is what it wants.’

A report is due to be presented to Swindon’s cabinet next month, when a decision will be made regarding plans to withdraw from the partnership.