Speed camera ‘increases crashes’
Nov 16th, 2009 by admin
A MOTORWAY speed camera responsible for raking in more than a million dollars in fines has been blamed for increasing accidents since it was installed.
The camera, which monitors a busy stretch of the M11 near London, results in 9000 tickets a year, but figures released by police show crashes have risen by a quarter at the site.
A Freedom of Information request made by campaigners who oppose what they see as revenue-based penalty tickets also showed casualties have almost doubled since 2001 when the camera was set up.
Paul Pearson, who runs motoring website penaltychargenotice.co.uk, said: ‘No wonder they haven’t removed the camera that is causing these accidents.
‘It is just raising too much money and they clearly want to keep it there.’
The data showed that in the five years before the camera was installed, there were 13 accidents and 14 casualties in the area. In the following five years, the number of accidents rose to 16 and casualties to 24.
The Highways Agency said that the accident data for the spot, between junctions four and five on the southbound carriageway, did not show a pattern of accidents which would be consistent with the camera itself being a factor.
Police have blamed motorists who slow down ahead of the camera and then speed up once they are clear of it.
A spokesman for Essex police denied the camera was causing crashes.
Wow this is a really great post. Speed cameras are developing so quickly its great to see that this kind of information is being made publicly availible.
It would be really interesting if this type of informationwas actually used to determine where a speed camera should be used. I believe that they have their place in certain locations but not where they increase accidents