Safe Speed Forums

There is something on the front page of the Daily Telegraphonline today, but the link dosn't work.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... peed20.xml

No escaping new speed cameras

Ben Leapman, Home Affairs Correspondent, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 20/05/2007

The hopes of millions of drivers, that a speed-camera flash will never turn into a ticket, are about to be dashed.

Numbers caught could double within months as more digital cameras are introduced across Britain. They will replace about 4,000 remaining traditional cameras, which flash even when they are out of film.

The change could lead to up to four million drivers receiving £60 speeding tickets each year, it is thought.

The digital devices can record thousands of images, with higher picture quality, and can monitor up to four lanes simultaneously. They are also fitted with automatic number-plate recognition technology which alerts police if a wanted vehicle passes. By contrast, traditional cameras run out of film after snapping 200 vehicles.

Edmund King, the director of the RAC Foundation, said the switch to digital could see the number of drivers caught speeding double from two to four million a year. The Treasury would receive an additional £120 million each year.

"There's no doubt that some motorists play Russian -roulette with cameras, taking a chance that they have run out of film," he said. "That will obviously change if they go digital."

Traditional cameras make up about 4,000 of the 5,000 cameras on the roads.

Gatsometer, their Netherlands-based manufacturer, has developed a digital system which slots straight into the existing case and works with the present speed-sensing equipment. Councils are expected to embrace the £10,000 cost of upgrading each camera because they will save the cost of fitting film.

The upgrade requires government approval but a spokesman for Gatsometer told Auto Express that the Home Office was preparing to confirm approval "any day now".

Since last month, money raised through fines has gone straight to the Treasury rather than to local councils and police forces. The change was introduced to show that local officials have no direct incentive to maximise revenue.

A rise in the number of motorists caught speeding - adding points to their licences - would also lead to more disqualifications.

***

Safe Speed issued the following PR at 09:57 this morning:

PR485: Digital Gatso and the speed camera 'death rattle'.

news: for immediate release

The Telegraph today[1] reports that a new 'digital' mechanism will shortly be
available to fit into Gatso film camera housings.

Paul Smith, founder of SafeSpeed.org.uk, said: "Department for Transport has
lost confidence in speed cameras and disowned them. Responsibility has passed
to local authorities and Police forces. Funding for speed cameras now is far
more limited than it was, and it's hard to see how digital Gatsos might be paid
for."

"With speed camera funding CAPPED for 4 years, and especially with NO RING
FENCE [2] on the funding it's hard to imagine how camera partnerships will afford
them."

"Speed cameras have been a road safety disaster and their demise is now
inevitable. I urge Police and local authorities not to waste important road
safety funding on this final phase of the speed camera story"

"Does this mean that Gatso film cameras will end up where all speed cameras
belong; in the scrap yard?"

"What we're seeing right now is the 'death rattle' of the speed camera
programme."

<ends>

Notes for editors
=================

[1]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... peed20.xml

[2] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/284

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Only it's £10K per camera

Councils are already strapped for cash - so does this mean a hike on council tax to fund this?

I think these are the obvious questions which folk are likely to ask - and even the fans of these devices - who let's face it have alwasy banged on about how the scmas are prolific because of prolific numbers of "nowty drivers" - are not gonna be that chuffed over that prospect.

Besides ...

[sigh]

it will only recognise a number plate via ANPR programming if a data base has been serviced properly in the first place.

It still does not solve the problem of unregistered vehicles either. As that car passes this device - it carries on moving and can have turned off at any junction thereafter and disappeared. I think that's just a hard sell ploy in reality.

Folk only notice their cars have been stolen either when they return to car parks or when they get up in a morning and find the car has gone from driveways as some idiots still leave cars on a table near the door and thugs can and do "fish" for them like that still.

Keep all keys away from windows and doors. Safest place is for you to know and no thief to find out

The only thing then it would tell us is that a cloned car or a car actually been reported as stolen has passed this device and is the area. We still have to go find it, catch it, and prosecute whoever we find driving it.






So when they drive like an angel past these devices - it flashes up a warning : "tot-up man! tot-up ban man just drove past me!"

Likewise the chav without a licene : furious:

Somehow I don't think so

Full reliance on automation just ain't working . Road safety needs a much fuller mix - VAS signs, better road engineeering, compulsory bikeability courses for all and all testing from bikeability to HGV to incorporate some understanding of the needs of the other road users: such as why the cyclist chooses "primary" and why the driver of the long vehicle is positioned in the outer lane when he is indicating a left.
and all this training should really nag and work on those COAST skills

More and better "Think!" adverts which must be shown on all channels at prime time viewing.


And of course, more trained police officers who have the ability to appear with servce, stealth and style suddenly and from nowhere


We also need perhaps a speed camera as originally intended at severely vulnerable blackspots - but not forests of them "clustered together like Blackpool"

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A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Strapped for cash ? They do not have enough to pay for SERVICES, but the kitty is overflowing for new staff and the hundreds of other reasons that people fall over themselves to become "public servants".
This is the same service that has increased in manpower by nearly a million in 10 years. And I don't mean more doctors, nurses, firepersons and police. That's just another reason to bleed people dry with speed cameras....as well as getting the numbers of cars down on the roads....

I do not know why everyone feels that these people are "misguided" in assuming that cameras will work to reduce speed. These people are not interested in speed or accidents, or even in people in general. They are interested in themselves. First and last. Building the public service dynasty.

Ach you mean the Director of Offal Recycling Services und the Officer for the Regeneration Studies .. or whatever obscure title they next come up with No one know what "they" do.. but all of a sudden your larder ist watching you! It put a whole new meaning on eating a can of baked beans

But to pay for these non-jobs und non-services .. und a new scam to make money ... they hike up the council tax on pretext of copping speeder on rat run they create in first place und it make more money than a speed hump too.

But repair a pot hole?

There ist one here which we notified ages ago. Has white chalk so they know about it. It still here three month later und a cyclist already damaged wheel on it recently und a motorbike nearly come off when he try to avoid it too

So no - I do not want a digital scamera or a talivan on roads leading to our home. I just want some one to fill in the holes - nein - absysses which probably come out in Oz in the road und I have complained about it umpteen time too.

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