Speed cameras in their sights
11:27am Tuesday 29th April 2008
Many of us will have been caught by speed cameras. But do they reduce accidents or are they just a revenue raiser?
Reporter Miles Godfrey speaks to a group of campaigners so convinced speed cameras don't work that they are planning a summer of direct action.
It is going to be an explosive summer.
At least it will be if the balaclava-clad campaign group Motorists Against Detection (Mad) get their way.
Its vigilante members are planning a summer-long campaign of direct action against speed cameras in Sussex and across the rest of the country.
For direct action read cameras being attacked, set on fire or felled with angle grinders.
Despite the obvious lawlessness surrounding the campaign, a spokesman for the group believes it is the only way the authorities will get the message that speed cameras are "not working".
The spokesman, dubbed Captain Gatso by members of the group, said: "The residents of Sussex are fed up with the cameras.
"They are not seeing a reduction in casualties on the roads.
"We will be in action right through the summer taking a stand against speed cameras.
"We'll do whatever is necessary to get the cameras down. Chop them, burn them, blow them up. It doesn't bother me."
Mad gained notoriety after a string of previous similar campaigns and so far claims to have destroyed more than 700 cameras across the country.
There have been a number of cameras burnt out or destroyed in Sussex - including on the A259 at Ferring, near Worthing, and on the A24 at Dial Post, near Horsham, in recent years.
It remains unclear whether it was the work of Mad.
The group's argument is that speed cameras do not cut the number of accidents.
The Mad spokesman said: "The crucial statistic to look at in this debate is the accident rate.
"There has been no significant reduction in accidents in Sussex but there are more cameras than ever."
His stance is partly borne out by the statistics, published by The Argus yesterday, which show that in the past three years the number of serious injuries in Sussex road accidents has remained constant.
However, the number of deaths has dropped from 117 in 2005 to 68 in 2007.
Claire Armstrong, from the Safe Speed road safety campaign, agrees that speed cameras are ineffective.
She said: "There is no doubt speed cameras are bad news.
"It is claimed that they are put in place to reduce accidents - but that has simply not been the case.
"There has been no discernible reduction in accidents. The only thing that has happened is that plenty of money has been collected in revenue."
Indeed, more than £4 million in fines was generated by Sussex speed cameras in the 2006-07 financial year.
A spokeswoman for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership said that although the total fines from the 68,500 notices would amount to more than £4 million, only about £3 million would actually have been collected.
This was because some motorists would appeal and overturn their fines and some notices would have automatically been sent to emergency services vehicles which would obviously not be be paid.
Nonetheless, 53,500 penalty notices were paid and more than 15,000 prosecutions brought.
Interestingly Mad believes there are still numerous loopholes motorists can use to avoid paying speeding fines generated by cameras.
The spokesman said only about half of all fines issued end up being paid - mostly by people who unquestioningly send off a cheque to the authorities when the fine arrives.
He said when he is not targeting cameras he dedicates the rest of his time towards helping motorists avoid paying fines.
He said: "There are tons of ways to not pay. It's a case of using your common sense and not just giving in as soon as the letter arrives."
Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, the organisation responsible for speed cameras in Sussex, argues the devices save lives.
Emma Rogers, for the partnership, said: "All Sussex cameras have been installed where people have been killed or seriously injured.
"I would suggest that before Mad take action against our cameras, they speak to the loved ones of those who have been lost and injured at each site to see how they feel.
"Our cameras are bright yellow, well signed and publicised. Some even have vehicle activated flashing signs in front of them.
"If motorists are too ignorant to see all those warning signs and actually get caught speeding, then it's entirely their own fault.
"The onus is on every driver to drive responsibly and within the law.
"But what's more worrying is, if drivers are missing all the warning signs, what else can't they see? A child stepping into the road in front of them?
"The slower they drive the less severe the injuries will be if they were to hit a child.
"At camera sites during 2005-06 we reduced the number of people killed or seriously injured by 67% compared to when before cameras were installed - so clearly they are working as a casualty reduction tool.
"Sixteen people would have been killed in that year alone if cameras had not been installed. Each fatality costs Sussex £1.38 million - that's more than £21 million speed cameras saved the people of Sussex in just one year.
"The emotional savings are immeasurable. And Mad want to take that away from the people?"