Road safety charity Brake has challenged the road safety minister, Mike Penning’s negative comments on speed cameras in a parliamentary debate.

Questioned on the Government’s recent announcement that it would stop investment into new speed cameras, the minister said that Government would “strongly encourage” local authorities to use “other methods and effective safety measures” . He also voiced concerns that the public view speed cameras as a “cash cow”.

Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: “It is shocking to hear the new minister making such dismissive comments about speed cameras, which research proves are highly effective in preventing deaths and injuries. Every year Brake is contacted by scores of communities crying out for measures like speed cameras to protect local people and enable them to use roads without fear of speeding traffic.

“We are urging the new Government to progress the latest technology in speed enforcement – for example, we want to see a speed limit map created for the UK, so ‘Intelligent Speed Adaption’ can start to be introduced in vehicles. But in the meantime it’s vital that the Government continues to invest in proven technology like speed cameras, alongside other crucial road safety measures like traffic policing and education. These measures not only help to prevent the unspeakable trauma of a sudden bereavement or serious injury, they also make good economic sense, helping to stem the huge cost to the economy of road death and injury.”

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