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Vigilantes attack £24,000 speed camera



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Published Date:
26 July 2008
It's been torched twice and now it's in a bit of a twist.
But road safety bosses say it's no laughing matter that the speed camera on The Marshes Lane at Mere Brow has been attacked again.

The £24,000 camera, on the B5246, was set on fire twice in 2004, leading to Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety threatening to put up another camera to monitor the Gatso.

Now, they say they would consider the idea again after the camera was damaged for a third time.

But anti-speed camera campaigners have questioned the idea and sympathise with those taking the law into their own hands.

Claire Armstrong, of Safespeed.org.uk, said: "We have probably got law-abiding citizens feeling so infuriated they have to show the government what they feel about it by taking direct action.

"We sympathise with them but we don't agree with it – we don't condone law breaking. I can understand how frustrated someone can be,
especially, say, if they have lost their job for driving a few miles over a set limit.

"If they put up a camera to monitor the camera, they will attack that one too. What do you do then? Put a camera up to monitor that camera? How far do you go?"

Tarleton Coun Rosemary Evans said: "We cannot support any damage. I don't agree with it and am disappointed.

"We pay for these speed cameras – if anyone decides to damage these in any way we are being penalised.

"The majority of drivers do stick to speed limits, but there are a mindless few who choose to speed through our villages.

Linda Sanderson, communications manager for the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety, said: "An officer has gone over to it. We need to find out if it has been criminal damage.

"If it is, then we will investigate which can lead to arrests."

When asked if a second camera could be installed to keep an eye on the speed camera, she said: "If there has been criminal damage, that is one of our options if it is necessary."

A spokeswoman for Brake, the road safety charity, said: "Brake is appalled that someone can have such blatant disregard for road safety measures.

"Speed cameras discourage speeding on our roads and are put in places which are known for speeding traffic."

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The full article contains 401 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 26 July 2008 7:39 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Preston
 
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1

babtridge,

26/07/2008 08:39:23
good work fellas, only a few thousand more cameras left to destroy and i for one will be happy :-)
2

ST.Bruno,

26/07/2008 10:21:52
Good work fellas????? why so you can put your foot down and mow down some kid or old granny - to**er. says everything about our society. I live in a small hamlet in the fylde and the number of times idiots with your mentality have come into the hedgerows is unbeleiveable
3

Bill Whitehead,

26/07/2008 12:14:03
There are superior and more cost effective ways to maintain order on our roads that cannot be set on fire or vandalised.

This is the sort of thing thats happening in America where they've dumped speed cameras infavour of police units equiped with ANPR and have returned to the traditional police officer apprehending drivers with much success and the approval of everyone asked.

Perhaps it is time to consider a shift away from expensive obsolete easy targetted equipment.
4

Dave Thorp,

Preston 26/07/2008 14:10:16
Reminds me of when Max and Paddy hacked a speed camera off with a hacksaw and chucked it behind a hedge.

Think Bill makes a good point. Speed cameras have had their day and most modern sat nav systems will warn the driver if they are approaching a speed camera so they know to slow down.

They are only revenue bringers now and not deterrents
5

BRIG!,

27/07/2008 13:34:07
well played lads, and least chavs are usefull for something eh.
6

Firewall,

Cyberspace 27/07/2008 13:58:12
I think both the authorities and politicians are ignoring just how unpopular these devices are with the British public. We know they are there to generate revenue and that is why people get angry and take matters into their own hands. These cameras are not there to stop people speeding they are there to make money. I am surprised they haven't been privatised and floated on the stock market to be honest! Easy revenue for a greedy company!
7

johnone,

Norway 27/07/2008 15:30:25
Working in Norway where people really do adhear to the speed restrictions and i have not seen a single speed camera.....but i found out that if you're caught speeding by the poice the fine is 1 months wages. That would slow me down! Also seems fairer as if you're loaded whats a £60 fine and 3 points? I think it is a more effective deterrent and cheaper than errecting these cameras everywhere.

8

Kilroy,

Preston 27/07/2008 20:54:36
Why are these criminals referred to as 'vigilantes'? VANDALS - plain and simple.
9

jonh,

28/07/2008 07:37:46
""Brake is appalled that someone can have such blatant disregard for road safety measures"

I am glad to see that Brake dislike Lancashire Road Safety Partnership too..... oh wait, they weren't talking about them were they?

"Speed cameras discourage speeding on our roads and are put in places which are known for speeding traffic."

Mind you, they are having a good stab at being stand up comedians!! As we all know, speed cameras do nothing of the sort and certainly are not used is described in the quote.

Perhaps rather than worrying about damage to cameras (which I do not condone by the way) perhaps the concern should be about actually creating methods of actually enforcing speed limits. I.e. the job the LRSP are supposedly paid to do.

The only change that has occurred with this camera is that it no longer earns revenue or protects LRSP jobs, the impact on speeders will sadly be unchanged.
10

dom ed,

p2 28/07/2008 09:46:17
well done "VIGILANTES!" keep up the good work
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