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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Council ends speed camera funding | Council ends speed camera funding |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Councillors in Swindon have voted to stop funding the town's speed cameras. | Councillors in Swindon have voted to stop funding the town's speed cameras. |
| The Wiltshire town's borough council is believed to be the first in England to withdraw funding for fixed cameras. | The Wiltshire town's borough council is believed to be the first in England to withdraw funding for fixed cameras. |
| The revenue from camera fines goes to the government which allocates cash to councils for road safety on the basis of accident statistics. | The revenue from camera fines goes to the government which allocates cash to councils for road safety on the basis of accident statistics. |
| Councillors said new measures were needed as road deaths and injuries had begun to rise, but police said the cameras had helped to cut accidents. | Councillors said new measures were needed as road deaths and injuries had begun to rise, but police said the cameras had helped to cut accidents. |
| The nine-member council cabinet voted unanimously in favour of withdrawing from the Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership on Wednesday night. | The nine-member council cabinet voted unanimously in favour of withdrawing from the Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership on Wednesday night. |
| The Department of Transport (DoT) said in the financial year 2006-7 it received an income of £104m from speed cameras. | The Department of Transport (DoT) said in the financial year 2006-7 it received an income of £104m from speed cameras. |
| A spokeswoman said it gave councils a share of £110m each year in grants to spend on road safety issues - allocated on the basis of accident statistics rather than as a percentage of cash received. | A spokeswoman said it gave councils a share of £110m each year in grants to spend on road safety issues - allocated on the basis of accident statistics rather than as a percentage of cash received. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY There is too much reliance on speed cameras to police the roads Ed Smith, Nottingham Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY There is too much reliance on speed cameras to police the roads Ed Smith, Nottingham Send us your comments |
| But Swindon councillors decided the £320,000 it puts into the partnership would be better spent on other safety measures like warning signs and street lighting. | But Swindon councillors decided the £320,000 it puts into the partnership would be better spent on other safety measures like warning signs and street lighting. |
| They said the number of people killed or seriously injured on Swindon's roads had begun to rise in the last two years and new strategies were needed. | They said the number of people killed or seriously injured on Swindon's roads had begun to rise in the last two years and new strategies were needed. |
| 'Wrong' policy | 'Wrong' policy |
| Peter Greenhalgh, the Tory councillor who proposed the idea, told BBC Radio 5Live the current road safety policy was not working. | Peter Greenhalgh, the Tory councillor who proposed the idea, told BBC Radio 5Live the current road safety policy was not working. |
| "The Department for Transport annual results - published on the 25th of September - show that, nationally, only 6% of accidents are caused by people breaking speed limits and yet almost 100% of the government's road safety money is being invested in speed cameras," he said. | "The Department for Transport annual results - published on the 25th of September - show that, nationally, only 6% of accidents are caused by people breaking speed limits and yet almost 100% of the government's road safety money is being invested in speed cameras," he said. |
| Richard Hammond: 'It's not speed - it's inappropriate speeding which kills' | Richard Hammond: 'It's not speed - it's inappropriate speeding which kills' |
| "I can see that's wrong and I think the people of this country can see that's wrong." | "I can see that's wrong and I think the people of this country can see that's wrong." |
| The safety camera partnership also includes Wiltshire Police, who believe the cameras have been working. | The safety camera partnership also includes Wiltshire Police, who believe the cameras have been working. |
| They say there has been a 70% drop in serious accidents in areas where they have been installed. | They say there has been a 70% drop in serious accidents in areas where they have been installed. |
| Mr Greenhalgh said alternative safety measures were now being considered, including driver education and reduced speed limits in problem areas. | Mr Greenhalgh said alternative safety measures were now being considered, including driver education and reduced speed limits in problem areas. |
| And he said that just because there would no longer be fixed-speed traps in the town, that did not mean motorists could not be caught for speeding. | And he said that just because there would no longer be fixed-speed traps in the town, that did not mean motorists could not be caught for speeding. |
| Wiltshire Police have said they may increasingly use hand-held, mobile speed cameras to enforce the law instead. | Wiltshire Police have said they may increasingly use hand-held, mobile speed cameras to enforce the law instead. |
| There are currently three fixed speed cameras in Swindon and 13 mobile ones. | |
| Labour councillor Derique Montaut told 5Live he opposed the decision. | Labour councillor Derique Montaut told 5Live he opposed the decision. |
| "I think speed cameras locally, nationally and internationally, have shown that they're one measure - one of many measures - that can be used to regulate speed," he said. | "I think speed cameras locally, nationally and internationally, have shown that they're one measure - one of many measures - that can be used to regulate speed," he said. |
| "It hasn't always been popular, but it's proved, and shown, to have saved lives." | "It hasn't always been popular, but it's proved, and shown, to have saved lives." |