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Scottish speed offences soar
By Adam Docherty
SPEEDING offences have leapt to record levels as cameras have been rolled out around Scotland.
Figures obtained by The Sunday Post show the number of drivers caught soared from 111,805 in 2002 to nearly 181,000 last year.
That?s a 72 per cent rise and the biggest jump since records began.
Over the past two years councils have been signing up for the Executive?s Scottish Safety Camera Programme which relies on siting cameras at accident blackspots.
The Safety Camera Partnership, which administers the programme, says speeding figures increase initially before levelling out or decreasing as motorists get the message.
Numbers leapt
When Aberdeen joined in 2002 it recorded 6548 offences. The previous year there were 3473. But by 2003 the number had leapt to 20,852.
Dundee put cameras in place in 2003 and caught 2553. In 2002 it caught 1161.
Perth and Kinross also signed up in 2003. That year it caught 11,193. In 2002 it caught 7402.
Andrew Wilkie, of the SCP, said, ?When an authority joins the programme it is expected there will be a greater level of enforcement activity aimed at reducing casualties on our roads.
?The figures, however, also show that when a partnership has been in operation for some time compliance with limits increases.
?Across Strathclyde the majority of areas have seen a significant decrease in the number of offences.
?This shows more people are driving within the limit.
?An independent evaluation showed the Strathclyde partnership had a 34 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites.
Cut deaths
?The report by University College London showed that across the UK cameras have significantly reduced speeding and collisions and have cut deaths and serious injuries at sites by 40 per cent.
?This is equated to 857 fewer people per year being killed or seriously injured.?
A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said, ?It takes a wee while for drivers to behave themselves, and there is a definite link between cameras and the reduction.
?A child hit by a car driving at 25 mph or 30 mph will have a chance of surviving. But a child hit at 40 mph will die.?
_________________ Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety
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