Safe Speed Forums

Campaign begins to switch speed cameras back on in UK town
Byt Karl Pesket - July 31st, 2010

The mother of a young boy killed by a speeding driver has begun a campaign to have speed cameras switched back on in her local area.

The council of Swindon, England, made the decision to switch its speed cameras off exactly one year ago, following the lead of Oxfordshire, which did the same due to budget cuts.

Caroline Hannah says that her seven-year-old son, Tyrese, could have been saved by speed cameras. Mrs Hannah was walking with her son and his dog when a speeding driver mounted the kerb, narrowly missing Mrs Hannah, but unfortunately crushing and killing Tyrese and his pet. Mrs Hannah has joined with a local charity to get the council to put the cameras back on line.
“I am disgusted with the lack of concern shown by Swindon Council for the safety of the public”, said Mrs Hannah. “I want them to know that people do care about road safety. The council should listen to the public who want the right to walk safely in their communities without fear of being mown down by speeding drivers.”
“They also need to take a look at the research on speed cameras instead of listening to the few fanatics who just don’t like being caught when they break the law. If there were speed cameras on Drove Road my son might still be alive. Instead he was killed by a selfish driver who knew he wouldn’t get caught for speeding.”

Mrs Hannah points to a four year national evaluation of speed camera effectiveness commissioned by the Department for Transport in 2005. The study showed there was a 70 percent reduction in speeding at fixed sites, a fall of six percent in average speeds and a 42 percent reduction in people killed and seriously injured. It also reported a positive cost-benefit ratio of speed cameras of 2.7:1 (PDF LINK here).

Despite this, Swindon’s bean-counters looked to the cost saving and switched its cameras off. So far, no study has been conducted to see if it has had an effect on the road toll.

What’s interesting is Australia has done the opposite. The amount of cameras are increasing, with the Western Australian government in particular, reaping hundreds of thousands of dollars in just one week of switching on its red-light/speed camera combination devices.

Mrs Hannah points to a four year national evaluation of speed camera effectiveness commissioned by the Department for Transport in 2005.

Car Advice here

If there were speed cameras on Drove Road my son might still be alive. Instead he was killed by a selfish driver who knew he wouldn’t get caught for speeding.”

Mrs Hannah was walking with her son and his dog when a speeding driver mounted the kerb,

I'm not commenting /ridiculing the kids name ...........................................but .

Nice?!!?

Notice you don't ( and I dont ever expect you to or reply to a lot of questions you've been asked . ) comment on the accusations of speeding ,without proof - etc .

As for the name ,that's to me the clue in his parent(s) background . Most (sensible and thoughtful) parents give some thought to the kids name .

James Newton-Price, prosecuting, described how the group saw Austin's car approach them at speed and 'spinning out of control' before it mounted the pavement.

An eyewitness, motorist Jack Dunn, saw Austin speed away from a set off traffic lights and then only set eyes on the car again when he reached the scene of the accident, Mr Newton-Price said.

You don't do badly at dodging issues yourself, Botach. But at least Weep is very rarely ad hominen

You don't do badly at dodging issues yourself, Botach. But at least Weep is very rarely ad hominen

I don't dodge issues either....

It's a simple enough question that is being discussed. I'd just like your thoughts on this....

The mother of the dead child says he could have been save by a speed camera 'If there were speed cameras on Drove Road my son might still be alive. Instead he was killed by a selfish driver who knew he wouldn’t get caught for speeding".

Under what circumstances, if any, could that be true?

Barkstar

I can only suppose that the otherwise reasonable dcb has been enjoying his weekend and imbibing to genuinely expect to argue that a speed camera could actually have curbed a clearly dangerous driver. Where exactly should this camera be cited? Clearly it should be mobile, moving along the road with the boy and his dog as they progress!

I can only suppose that the otherwise reasonable dcb has been enjoying his weekend and imbibing to genuinely expect to argue that a speed camera could actually have curbed a clearly dangerous driver. Where exactly should this camera be cited? Clearly it should be mobile, moving along the road with the boy and his dog as they progress!

..., where a speed camera might have prevented that particular accident;...
Of course, even if one did believe that exceeding the speed limit is a major cause of death, one should still not be arguing for cameras. One should be arguing for technical means of limiting vehicle speed.

Depends whether you mean a speed camera, or speed camera site (of which a speed camera itself is only part of).

Plenty of evidence to show that incidents of speeding are reduced within a speed camera site, although obviously if one knows the site and where the camera is then one can speed up to the camera, slow down for it, and then speed up afterwards.

All for average speed cameras me for this very reason.