by Brian Byrne. The British drivers lobby group Safe Speed says that speed camera 'partnerships' in the UK have 'distorted' the road safety objectives which were the basis on which they were first set up.
The comment follows an investigation by the East Anglian Daily Times which revealed that crashes used to justify a lucrative speed camera had nothing to do with speed.
The organisation says that rules for speed camera placement ensure that cameras are placed where plenty of drivers are speeding.
While this may initially sound logical, the fact is that in almost every case what it actually means is that speeds in excess of the speed limit are perfectly safe and appropriate. It also means that speed cameras are not normally placed in narrow village high streets where speeding is dangerous.
"The vast majority of drivers are responsible and highly capable of setting an appropriate and safe speed according to the conditions." explains Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign. "This blunder in the rules for speed camera placement criminalises safe behaviours and ensures that the cash comes rolling in.
"Speed cameras are a £700 million failure. 12 million drivers have been convicted, but road deaths are rising. Clearly it isn't working."
