Thanks Sam.
Redundancy notices issued to Cumbria speed cameras unit staff
Exclusive by Matthew Legg
Last updated at 12:19, Monday, 10 January 2011
Twenty-six staff at the unit that runs Cumbria’s speed cameras have been handed redundancy notices, the News & Star has learned.
Nine people in the safety camera unit and 17 workers in the control ticket office in Penrith have been told their jobs are under threat.
That group includes Kevin Tea, manager of the Cumbria Safety Camera Partnership.
Mr Tea remains confident the unit will survive, though, and that the speed cameras in the county will remain at their present level.
Doubts first emerged over the future of the partnership last year when the Government cut the national road safety budget by £38m.
Cumbria lost £255,000, of which £213,000 was for speed cameras.
Talks are ongoing between Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Police to decide where funding for cameras will come from in the future.
Mr Tea said: “The redundancy process has been undertaken purely as a legal process while the council, police and other agencies decide who will pay for what.
“I am very confident the unit will continue though there may be some job losses in some way.
“I am confident the present level of speed cameras in Cumbria will be maintained when the process is complete.
“Since the Government came to power it has cut off funds for cameras.
“That has meant we have been forced to look for alternative ways of funding and negotiations are ongoing to see how that can be achieved.”
Cumbria has four mobile speed cameras, which can be deployed at 250 sites. There are six sets of static cameras: on the A595 at Howgate; the A69 at Low Row; the A685 at Kirkby Stephen; the A590 at Barrow and Witherslack; and the A591 at Ings.
Another pair at Corby Hill, between Carlisle and Brampton, will be in place by December.