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Tuesday, 9th February 2010

Tories pledge to cut speed cameras

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Published Date:
06 October 2009
A Conservative Government says it would cut off all funding for new fixed speed cameras in Lancashire.
Local authorities in the county would also face major hurdles if they are determined to plough ahead and fund new Gatso sites themselves.

The Conservatives highlighted figures which showed that despite the presence of 293 fixed speed cameras in Lancashire, there were 7,199 people injuries or deaths on the county's roads last year.

Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "Labour's dependence on fixed speed cameras has blinded them to the effectiveness of the alternatives.

"It is time to say enough is enough on fixed speed cameras – we have reached the high watermark."

The Tories want to promote a switch away from speed cameras and towards education campaigns and vehicle activated signs, which tell motorists when they are driving too fast.

The driving test could be modified to put a greater emphasis on speed reduction.

>> Temporary speed cameras net £381,000
>> Fixed speed cameras could be scrapped

In a wide-ranging announcement, Ms Villiers said a Conservative Government would axe the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety, which currently runs the county's army of fixed cameras, and prevent any Whitehall funding from being used to set up new sites.

Councils will only be allowed to set up new fixed cameras if they can prove that there is no other way of reducing speed.

Even if they clear this hurdle, they will have to fund any new cameras themselves out of the money they raise from the council tax and not through road safety cash.

They will also have to publish an annual report on each camera showing the amount of money raised in fines.

Lancashire's speed cameras last year raised £3.4m in fines in 2007, as prosecutions for driving while disqualified, drink-driving, uninsured driving – and the number of traffic police – dropped to their lowest levels in a decade.

Ms Villiers also announced a move to reducing roadwork congestion by forcing utility companies to pay a rental fee for the time they occupy on the roads. She said a consultation will be held to decide how high this fee should be.

Gas, electricity and water companies will also have to abide by a new code of conduct for digging up roads.

She added: "A Conservative Government will focus on tackling the congestion that is costing the economy billions and the resulting hassle that has made travelling in the UK so grim."

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  • Last Updated: 06 October 2009 7:51 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Preston
 
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David C,

06/10/2009 16:35:01
Is there anything the Tories aint going to cut? Its about time they made a real promise and cut the Bull, because They have put me off voting Tory, Im voting no one, waste of time on all the crack pot do-gooders messing up the country, whilst getting paid to rob the public purse.
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Frenchwoody,

Preston 06/10/2009 18:45:29
They have done the sums. It's cheaper to have so many hundred road deaths and injuries than to maintain and enforce speed restrictions. One day,future generations will look back on the road death epidemic and wonder at our shameful negligence.
3

Vote 4 Pedro,

06/10/2009 19:13:37
David.

There is one thing they won't cut --- Their wages.

S@d us plebs I can't believe we are falling for it again.

4

SE7EN,

on a bus between leyland and preston 06/10/2009 19:42:10
And to teach pigs to fly no doubt. Having almost won me over with this statement about scrapping speed cameras, I now find my working tax credits to be abolished if they win, and now being made to work an extra year for my pension. Pah.

I remember under Thatcher's recession interest rates were about 17%; under Gordon Brown's recession, interest rates are 0.5%. Hmmm.
5

Long live speed limits,

Fylde 06/10/2009 20:48:32
Just shows the tories aren't bothered about public safety. Are they sponsored by that prat clarkson?
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jonh,

06/10/2009 22:08:31
"Just shows the tories aren't bothered about public safety."

Maybe they might concentrate on the drivers driving while disqualified, drunk, uninsured, on drugs, driving unroadworthy vehicles and the many other causes of many, many more road deaths than speeding and are not detectable by speed cameras. Still, some people clearly have interest and enjoyment in keeping those deaths occuring.
7

Midtable?,

07/10/2009 09:15:27
FOUR MILLION REASONS NOT TO VOTE TORY

If you work for a public service, or have a family member who works for a public service (e.g. Police, Fire and Nursing staff) by voting Conservative at the general election you will be putting their pensions (which they pay a large portion of their income for by the way - not free as some people think), pay and conditions of service at risk - There are much better ways to deal with the financial crisis than punish those who provide our services and keep us safe. I voted Conservative (for the first time in my life) at the local elections last year, but I will not be voting for them at the General Election. Mr Cameron and his cohorts may be slick operators, but they have now shown their true colours - which by the way will only be the tip of the iceburg. SS Tory will be more of a disaster when we hit the iceberg with them in charge than anything that has happended over the past year.
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jonh,

07/10/2009 12:31:45
Pfff, I have no reason to vote Tory, Labour OR Lib Dem. Problem is, who does than leave other than lunatics and racists?
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Derek Trotter,

Preston 07/10/2009 23:41:44
Thats sealed my vote for the Tories.
Only a mug would vote brown back in anyway, the guy is a joke. Labour and their cash-cow cameras, along with their appalling benefits system (the lazier you are the more you get) will be booted into touch, and i cant wait!!
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jonh,

08/10/2009 07:26:00
Shouldn't we be questioning what their actual road safety policy is though? Removing speed cameras is a vote winner and would have little impact on road safety (they certainly don't stop speeding anyway!!) What will they put in place to ACTUALLY reduce road accidents?
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