Safe Speed Forums

Dispelling The Myths

The Myth: The Safety Camera Programme is about raising revenue.
The Reality: The Safety Camera Programme has been set up with strict controls that ensure that safety camera partnerships can only recover the costs associated with camera enforcement activity. This is to ensure that the only incentive for a partnership to participate in the scheme is to reduce casualties. Any surplus generated is returned to HM Treasury but partnerships are not required to generate any surplus.

The Myth: Speeding is not a serious offence - everybody does it at some time.
The Reality: Speeding is a serious criminal offence. Research and experience confirm that excessive and inappropriate speed is a major contributory factor in collisions that cause death and injury and is the single largest contributory factor in the severity of injury. The purpose of speed cameras is to encourage drivers to change their attitude towards speeding and comply with limits at all times.

The Myth: Cameras are in the wrong places - they’re there to make money.
The Reality: Cameras are sited where there has been a history of collisions and a speeding problem. The criteria in the Handbook of Rules and Guidance used for the selection of potential sites specifies a minimum number of casualties and requires that speed surveys identify if speeding was a likely cause in these casualties. Only cameras that can be shown to have had a casualty reduction or road safety benefit can remain within the Programme.