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NORTH Wales's controversial anti-speeding chief constable has revealed he does not want more cameras on the region's roads.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Post, Richard Brunstrom outlined a raft of new measures to combat fast driving.

He said they would be less confrontational than speed cameras and would include driving lessons for convicted motorists.

Mr Brunstrom revealed: "We don't want to crank up the camera campaign. What we are looking for is casualty reduction.

"I don't think more cameras are necessary. We are not looking to blanket the place with cameras - we are looking to save lives.

"We are not looking to put a camera on every lamppost or manhole cover. We are going to get smarter and better and we are going to find cleverer ways of dealing with it."

North Wales currently has 13 fixed speed cameras and nine mobile units which cover about 250 miles - less than 5% - of the region's roads.

Mr Brunstrom said: "We are looking to bring in a whole range of less confrontational means of dealing with the problem.

" We are demonstrating that we don't want your money. We don't want points on your licence. We want you to comply with the law."

Among the new measures, speeding motorists will be given a choice between a £60 fine and points on the licence or attending a £60 driving course, with no fine and no points.

The scheme will be launched by North Wales Police on October 3.

Mr Brunstrom said he expected a third of speeding drivers to opt for the course within six months.

He said the scheme was proof his firm anti-speeding stance was about making people drive safely - instead of making money on fines.

The Driver Awareness Course will be available for drivers caught just over the speed limit, and will be run between police, local authorities and advanced driving tutors.

Mr Brunstrom said: "The driver training courses will be run with local authorities and will cost the same as a ticket. You pay for it.

"I expect between 20% and 30% of all people caught speeding in North Wales will go on it. If you want to take the penalty, then you can.

"But what we would rather do is make you think about your driving standards. It will take some of the edge off the process for us."

Similar courses have been run in other parts of the UK in which speeding drivers take a two-hour lesson identifying what causes them to speed and the consequences of speeding.

The lesson is followed by three or four hours of in-car training with a driving instructor.

Anyone who fails to attend the course after signing up faces prosecution, and anyone who offends again within three years is not offered another chance to go on a course.

The £60 fee will go to the course providers and not to North Wales Police.

Mr Brunstrom reiterated his wish to roll out a scheme piloted in Pentrefoelas, where residents were trained by North Wales Police to operate their own speed cameras.

He said: "We are looking to bring in a whole range of less confrontational means of dealing with the problem, such as warnings and a roll-out of the scheme in Pentrefoelas, where residents look after speeding in their own village.

Between 6,500 and 7,000 speeding tickets are issued each month in North Wales.

Arrive Alive's Inspector Essi Ahari said: "Income is not an issue. The partnership's aim is to reduce casualties by reducing speed.

"Arrive Alive is self-funding and if the income reduces that could lead to the partnership being wound up but the ultimate aim is to reduce speed and casulaties and it is not a question of income. It is important to get this message across."

He added: "Only a tiny amount of the road network in North Wales is covered by the cameras. This is less than 5% or about 250 miles which has been identified as high casualty, high speed areas."

rolandhughes@dailypost.co.uk

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Funny, he invented the "confrontational" aproach, calling drivers all the names under the sun....what a tosser

Looks like "panic" measures to me. Get the feeling someone is feeling the heat...

And I suppose it's just a coincidence that the local authorities, who are charging £60 per person for the course, happen to be members of the Partnership.

Possibly some old fisherman has pointed out what happened to fish once the seas were overfished, and how the fishing population is decreasing( unless you're a continental one that is, like drivers ,in a way i suppose)
This way he gets his £60 and keeps his source of income, or am i being cynical?

Is this a cover-up....after all they cannot use any more cameras. The government said so. Are they preparing the ground for a report that says they are useless.