Letters
| NORTH YORKSHIRE |  | | | CLEVELAND | | | | COUNTY DURHAM | | |
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Relevant speed
Sir, - In your issue of April 18
your reporter Dani Webb reported
on the 19 per cent fall in
road casualties achieved by
Stockton Borough Council over
the last year.
It was very interesting
to see that in all the measures
described the speed camera
did not feature. Does this
signify a more enlightened attitude?
I hope so.
It has been proven now for
some years that speed cameras
do not reduce accidents. In September
2006, the Department
of Transport discovered that the
proportion of injury crashes involving
any speeding vehicle
nationally was only five per cent
- not the "one third" that they
had previously claimed.
In June 2006 they had already
discovered that the ongoing
beneficial trend in road crash
serious injuries due to speed
cameras was just a feature of
the way these crashes are reported.
Hospitalisation statistics
don't show the same trend.
Road deaths don't show the
same trend.
By 2005, 14 years after the introduction
of cameras, the Department
of Transport decided
it was necessary to conduct an
investigation into the possible
side-effects of speed cameras.
This research has since been
axed. Were the results so unpalatable
for the Government?
Unfortunately, the mantra of
"speed kills" has been repeated
so often that it has taken on the
credibilty of proven fact. This is
not the case. Rather it is relevant
speed that kills. Speed needs to
be assessed alongside other
contributary factors such as
prevailing weather conditions,
traffic density at the time and
driver competance.
Moreover, the main cause of
road accidents would appear to
result from poor standards of
driving. Speed cameras will not
improve this. Far from it they
can act as a distraction.
In Great Britain the rise in the
number of cameras has not
shown a corresponding reduction
in accidents. Some cities
such as Ontario have actually
scrapped their cameras.
So well done to Stockton Borough
Council, for taking an enlightened
view. One which is
not revenue raising either.
Those interested in this topic,
which is vitally important if this
country is to regain the lead it
once held in road safety, should
visit www.safespeed.org.uk.
ANDREW PEEL
Nunthorpe,
Middlesbrough.
2:14pm Friday 9th May 2008
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