'Cameras have cut speeding offences'
The aim of Northampton's speed cameras is not to generate money, a police and council partnership has insisted, as the government declares it will no longer use the controversial equipment as 'cash cows'.
The new coalition government was expected to announce funding cuts for speed cameras when the budget is revealed.
However the Casualty Reduction Partnership is yet to make a decision regarding cutting back the county's 40 fixed speed cameras.
Brian Ronaghan, casualty reduction partnership manager for Northamptonshire Police, said: "Ensuring cameras are placed where they are most effective at reducing road casualties is the goal, not to make money. Northamptonshire was a pilot area for cameras in 2000 and their introduction significantly increased the number of speeding offences detected.
"The number of fines peaked in 2002/03 and since then has progressively decreased. This reflects the awareness of safety cameras and a general reduction in speeding."
Northamptonshire currently has 40 fixed camera site locations, two average speed camera sites and six red light camera sites.
Mr Ronaghan added: "Since 2004, no new fixed site cameras have been installed, however the sites for mobile camera van enforcement are constantly evolving. April 2007 saw a fundamental change to safety camera funding. Previously, speeding fines funded safety camera operations. Since April 2007, a grant has been awarded to partnerships to invest in road safety, instead of being funded by fines. Any fines collected since that point go to the treasury and are not linked to the partnership funding. The new government is reviewing these funding arrangements.
"With the introduction of speed workshops as a diversion away from prosecution, more people in Northamptonshire are now being offered education as an alternative to receiving a fine and penalty points. Any surplus from the 60 course fee goes to the Casualty Reduction Fund.
"The outcome is that Northamptonshire's roads are now safer - 2009 brought both the lowest recorded number of road deaths and the lowest number of people seriously injured on our roads."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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