Police praise fall in speed fines
Monday 27th August 2007, 11:16AM BST.
Police chiefs in Shropshire today hailed a steady reduction in the number of speeding fines handed out across West Mercia.
The West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership’s latest figures show the number of penalties issued to motorists has steadily fallen over the last three years.
The organisation said the figures reflect people driving more slowly and the success of speed cameras across the county.
Between April 2004 and March 2005, 63,037 people were issued with fixed penalty notices for speeding offences.
During the same period in 2005/6 the total was 61,686 and in 2006/7 it was 60,859.
Trevor McAvoy is project manager for the partnership which brings together police and other organisations responsible for targeted speed and red light traffic enforcement.
“We welcome the news the number of people issued with a £60 fine and three points on their driving licence for exceeding a speed limit in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire has fallen steadily over the past few years,” he said.
“This progressive continuing decline is the inevitable and expected outcome of the work being done to change drivers’ attitudes to speed and make the roads safer.
“The reduction in the number of people caught speeding in West Mercia reflects the national trend, which shows a general progressive reduction in speeds, especially on 30mph roads.
“Since 2003, the partnership has made a valuable contribution to the work being done by many organisations. As speeds have reduced, so has the number of people killed or injured.”
But, Mr McAvoy said, work continued to be done and the partnership was “developing a broader approach to road safety, co-ordinating and delivering a wider range of activities”.
Other figures, released by the Home Office in a written answer to MPs, show the number of court imposed fines has also dropped.
Last year, a report by MPs demanded more speed cameras to prevent deaths on roads and called for additional funding to be made available so more fixed sites could be covered. It pointed to evidence which showed 42 per cent fewer people were killed or seriously injured in crashes at sites which had fixed speed cameras.
There are 12 static speed cameras sites and 26 mobile camera sites in Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire.
By Dave West
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WHEN IS A SPEED CAMERA (either fixed or mobile) GOING TO APPEAR ON THE EASTERN PRIMARY MAIN ROAD INTO AND OUT OF TELFORD? IT IS WORSE SINCE THE LOCAL AUTHORITY PUT LOTS OF LINES WHICH ARE IGNORED BY MANY MOTORISTS. DESPITE WARNING NOTICES AND THE LEGAL “60″ LIMIT SIGNS DRIVERS STILL DRIVE LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW!THE ODD POLICE CAR BEING VISIBLE WOULD HELP NOW AND AGAIN…MEANWHILE A TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN.
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Yet again, we witness more midleading dribble from speed camera pratnerships.
I’ll keep it concise and to the point on this, so:
1. Speed cameras are NOT reducing the number of people killed on our roads. Department for Transport stats demonstrate this.
2. The claim that “speed cameras reduce deaths and casualties at camera sites” is misleading as it does not take into account regression to the mean statistical slip.
3. A speed camera site is defined as any area within a 1000m radius of a RTA i.e. if a road death occurs on Turreff Avenue, a speed cam can legitimately be erected on Wrekin Drive.
4. According to T & W council, they do not consider speed when assessing the cause of an accident on the A442.
5. The speed limit between Trench Lock and the Clock Tower island in Telford was reduced to 50 last year despite no accidents between 2001 & 2005 being attributed to exceeding the posted speed limit.
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winja – what a load of dribble from you I am sorry but its true! I challenge you to MONITOR the crazy speed of traffic at ANYTIME of day and night on the EASTERN PRIMARY OF TELFORD and the legal sign is constantly displayed – 60 MPH!! An accident recently even demolished the sign advising the number of accidents that had taken place over a period of time on the road – talk common sense please!!! Its like an airport runway and you know it!
gosh….
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TERRIFIED MOTORIST – your caps lock key appears to be faulty, maybe you should fix it. The accident that demolished the sign on the EP was a clear case of careless driving, and had nothing to do with speed. If you’re so terrified on the roads, perhaps its because you do not have the ability required to drive safely at a reasonable speed, perhaps you should do us all a favour and take the bus (an extremely safe method of transport).
Getting back to the article under discussion, have the Police and Safer Roads Partnerships considered that the reduction in speed over the past three years is inversely proportional to the increase in congestion on our roads during the same period.
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David…..sorry about the caps lock it seems to have upset you. I can at least claim an accident free record of driving for many years plus a driving licence free of any points. I continue to drive at the speed which is legal…depending on the road. I also travel (and enjoy) travelling on the bus from time to time in order to do my bit to reduce congestion etc. Perhaps you are one of those constantly tailgating – driving at speeds way above the legal limit. Nevertheless drive safely – life is precious. I see the results of crazy driving in my work.
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I find it amusing that they focused SO much on the fact that fewer penalties are being issued…. but not ONCE did they actually say that fewer accidents or deaths were occurring.
Just goes to show what’s really on their minds, eh?
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Terrified…
Winja posted a number of facts – so you accuse her of talking dribble. Stating facts cannot be dribble, unlike your reply to her which clearly was.
I post an explanation of an accident that happened (again fact), and make a valid comment that the reduction in speed happens to be inversely proportional to the amount of congestion – you suggest that I am therefore possibly a tailgater, driving at speeds ‘way above the legal limit’, a somewhat bizarre response.
I dread to think what your reply to Andre will be, as clearly he does not seem to agree with your views either.
I understand it must be difficult when you have views which are ‘different’ to everyone else, but if you were to type normally, stick to logical argument and refrain from assuming other posters are all idiots, then life for us all would not only be precious but also more pleasant :)
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