Road safety minister Dr Stephen Ladyman has moved to reassure the police that there will still be funds for speed cameras, despite moves to encourage councils to adopt other road safety initiatives. He told MPs that the police would remain ‘key’ partners when councils and others were allowed greater freedom to pursue whichever agreed mix of road safety measures was judged to be the most effective locally.
From 31 March next year, revenue from offences detected by cameras will have to be handed over to the Treasury, but £110M will be handed back to councils to fund road safety initiatives. At present, councils are allowed to reclaim the cost of cameras from fines, but this has led to a public perception by motorists that cameras have been installed to boost local authority revenue.
When he appeared before the transport select committee this week, Dr Ladyman denied, however, that was the reason why the Government had decided on the funding change. ‘There was a demand from the police, communities and lobbyists for money to be spread more widely, and we took the view that was correct,’ the minister said. He added that the Government wanted to encourage safety camera partnerships to broaden their membership, and money available could be spent where it was judged appropriate.
But when committee chairman, Gwyneth Dunwoody, told him the police were concerned there would be inadequate funds for cameras he reassured her the police would remain key partners. ‘The Government fully expects that camera technology will continue to feature in those local decisions,’ the committee was told. ‘However, local partnerships will also be able to direct further resources to more traditional policing methods, if this is considered to be a local priority. ‘The safety camera partnerships are already accountable and responsive locally for their decisions and day-to-day operations. The funding and administrative changes will not alter this.’ ~West Sussex County Council~ however, warned the MPs that the new funding stream through the local transport plan was not ring-fenced and therefore, could be diverted to other projects rather than cameras and associated road safety iniativies.
~Transport for London~ said the safety cameras had made a ‘huge contribution to London’s lower casualty figures. ‘Before and after studies at new speed camera sites have given benefits of around 50 per reductions in killed and seriously injured casualties.’ Dr Ladyman also revealed the Government was planning to launch a campaign against summer drink-driving to mirror that at Christmas because of a increase in drink driving. He said 500 deaths a year would be saved.
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