The Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership is ceasing operations in Oxfordshire as a result of funding cuts, meaning speed cameras will be switched off and other road safety work discontinued. The Devon and Cornwall partnership is also reported to be under threat.
This follows the 40% cut to the road safety grant provided by central Government to local authorities, which funds speed cameras and a range of other measures such as pedestrian crossings, 20mph zones and educational projects, such as offender re-education.
Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said:“We are horrified that vital road safety work is grinding to a halt as a result of draconian funding cuts made by the Government. We have made a huge amount of progress in reducing tragic, needless and costly road deaths and injuries in recent years – progress that is at great risk of being undone.
“Road safety partnerships around the UK are delivering highly successful and economic work – particularly through the use of speed cameras. We have a vast amount of evidence showing that cameras are extremely effective in cutting casualties and slowing traffic. Turning cameras off, and pulling the plug on other important road safety work, is a disastrous blow for those communities relying on cameras to protect them, and an insult to those crying out for measures to cut speeds in their neighbourhoods and those families so traumatically bereaved by speed.
“We are urging local authorities around the country to spread these funding cuts across departments – to at least ensure that existing measures that are proven to prevent deaths and injuries are not withdrawn.”
gychris - 27/07/2010 13:16
Very emotional comments there, but other reports suggest the cameras are no longer doing the job and other more modern permanent methods that doesn’t require a guy hiding in a lay-by in a van will be put in place. For me, well done Thames Valley and don’t forget, in 12 months time, we will have seen the impact of these changes and maybe, just maybe, we all might be surprised to find that there is no increase in accidents, or fatalities. Then where will all the do-gooders be?