UK:Speed trap earns R6.25m - but accident rate rises

[elbandido2003]

REQUEST FOR FINES DATA INITIALLY REFUSED

November 17, 2009

A motorway speed camera responsible for earning the British government the equivalent of R6.25-million a year in fines has been blamed for increasing the accident rate since it was installed.

The camera, which monitors a busy stretch of a motorway near London, generates about 9000 tickets a year, but figures released by police show the number of crashes has risen by a 25 percent at the site.

A Freedom of Information request made by campaigners who oppose what they see as revenue-earning cameras also showed casualties have almost doubled since 2001 when the camera was installed

'It's raising money - they want to keep it there'

Paul Pearson, who runs motoring website penaltychargenotice.co.uk, said: "No wonder they haven't removed the camera that is causing these accidents. It's raising too much money and they clearly want to keep it there."

Essex Police, which runs the camera in "partnership" with Essex County Council and the Highways Agency, had initially refused Pearson's Freedom of Information request for details about the speeding tickets issued by the machine.

However, after a ruling by the Information Commissioner, the police have been forced to disclose that in 2003 alone the M11 camera was responsible for 9639 fines and a further 8451 in 2004.

The following year 9047 drivers were caught and in 2006 7801 were sent fines. The number fell to 3305 in 2007. There were no complete figures for 2008 but to May, 2009 the number soared to 6445

Number off fines has soared in 2009

Pearson highlighted the danger he claims the camera poses after he put in an earlier Freedom of Information request, having witnessed an accident on the road. He said: "The speed limit reduces from 70mph to 50mph without warning. The road narrows from three to two lanes to two lanes just before the camera.

"In February 2008 we witnessed the aftermath of a three-car pile-up immediately in front of the camera," he said. "It was obvious that it was the camera that caused the accident because cars had to reduce speed and merge and then of course some motorists slam on their brakes when they pass the camera.

"So, we asked the Department of Transport for the accident and casualty statistics."

POLICE BLAME DRIVERS

The data showed that in the five years before the camera was installed, there were 13 accidents and 14 casualties in the area. In the following five years, the number of accidents rose to 16 and casualties to 24.

Police blamed drivers who slowed for the camera and then accelerated and a spokesman for Essex police denied the camera was causing crashes.

He said it was not being kept to make money and that there were no plans to remove it.

"Cameras don't cause collisions, poor driving does," he emphasised. - Daily Mail

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http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5248145&fSectionId=751&fSetId=381[/PHP]

It sounds familiar to me, also cameras do not cause collisions, economical crisis does...and so other stupid sentences said by Pere Navarro from DGT in the last few months.

Anyway speeding fines are covert taxes and if you drive you have to pay them, in Spain and all around the world, isn´t it?

Cheers