http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/localnew ... _soars.php
Speed fine cash soars
By Lawrence Marzouk
Revenue from speeding fines has rocketed by £600,000 while the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county's roads has risen by 100.
The figures have prompted calls from safety groups, motoring associations and politicians to invest more in tackling dangerous drivers instead of ploughing cash into new speed cameras.
Figures from Sussex Safety Camera Partnership show paid speeding fines increased from 46,700 in the year ending March 2005, to 57,000 the following year - a 20 per cent rise. Total revenue from speed cameras has now reached £3.4 million, up from £2.8 million.
But the latest figures reveal the number of yearly road deaths and serious injuries has increased from 889 to 987.
And although a fall in minor injuries has been recorded, Sussex ranks third highest in Britain for road deaths.
The rise of serious crashes is coupled with a fall in prosecutions for driving without due care. Home Office statistics show that between 1997 and 2004 the number of prosecuted motorists plummeted from 1,500 to 217 a year.
Norman Baker, Lib Dem MP for Lewes, said it showed an over-reliance on speed cameras.
He said: "Speed cameras have a role in particular accident blackspots but because drivers know where they are, and slow down then speed up, this can cause more erratic driving and can cause more accidents.
"We need more investment in better road design and education." Sussex Police has defended its record, claiming that although speed cameras are not a universal remedy, they do cut casualties.
Inspector Phil Clarke said: "Safety cameras have a proven track record at reducing casualties in the vicinity of their locations.
"There are strict guidelines where cameras are situated - and they take into account the design of the road, the speed limit and the number of casualties recorded. Not all collisions are caused by excessive speed and more roads than not do not have a safety camera."
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said traffic police must focus attention on dangerous drivers. "We are absolutely certain that speed cameras make road safety worse.
"Nationally we have been neglecting driver quality, which is the true key to improving road safety through policy.
"And of course we have not policed the roads properly, so there are rogue drivers everywhere. The money has been taken from ordinary people and wasted on speed cameras."
The Department for Transport said each accident involving death or serious injury costs £57,000 so, while speeding tickets raised £3.5 million, the extra 98 serious casualties cost the country £5.5 million.
Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Increasingly, the Government is relying on technology rather than uniformed officers to police our roads. But cameras can't detect whether someone has been drink-driving, or whether people are driving around in cars which are untaxed and uninsured."
Edmund King, RAC Foundation's chief executive, said: "There has been a decrease in the number of traffic police and cameras can only do one thing - catch people over the speed limit."
Sussex Safety Camera Partnership has installed 14 fixed cameras and bought 16 new mobile units in the past two years. A spokesman said: "If you drive within the speed limits, not only will you be £60 better off but the roads of Sussex will be a safer place."
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