Speed cameras axed after spending cuts

Some speed cameras in Staffordshire are to be decommissioned after a cut in funding.

The Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership operates 263 fixed cameras in the county but faces an £800,000 cut in its £2 million budget for 2011-2012.

The decommissioned housings will stay in place to continue to act as a deterrent to motorists.

If a motorist or pedestrian is seriously injured in a collision at one of the decommissioned sites and speed is found to be a key factor, the camera route will be reactivated.

All routes will be reviewed on a six-monthly basis.

Councillor Mike Maryon, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for highways and road safety, said: "We now take a much more rounded view of road safety, with less reliance on enforcement and now regularly use other speed management measures such as speed indication devices and Community Speed Watch rather than cameras.

"Ninety eight per cent of accidents are as a result of human error. This is why a comprehensive programme which includes a greater emphasis on education and training can reap rewards.

"The new emphasis represents an opportunity to decommission a number of low-priority road safety cameras in areas where no significant accidents have been recorded."

Councillor Maryon said the locations of the decommissioned camera sites will not be made public so the housings will continue to have a deterrent effect. I appreciate some people will want to know, but the locations will not be disclosed for valid safety reasons."

The review of Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership has put a new emphasis on education and re-training. Staffordshire County Council's cabinet will consider Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership's efficiency review next week.