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| Camera plan to catch bad drivers | Camera plan to catch bad drivers |
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| Use of traffic cameras to catch drivers blocking box junctions or ignoring road signs could be introduced across England and Wales. | Use of traffic cameras to catch drivers blocking box junctions or ignoring road signs could be introduced across England and Wales. |
| The government is considering rolling out the use of the cameras already in place in London, where one million drivers were fined last year. | The government is considering rolling out the use of the cameras already in place in London, where one million drivers were fined last year. |
| Road campaigners said the move could be seen as a "revenue raiser" rather than a traffic flow and safety measure. | Road campaigners said the move could be seen as a "revenue raiser" rather than a traffic flow and safety measure. |
| Councils in England and Wales could begin using the cameras from 2008. | Councils in England and Wales could begin using the cameras from 2008. |
| A Department of Transport spokesman said there would be a consultation next year on giving local authorities the powers. | A Department of Transport spokesman said there would be a consultation next year on giving local authorities the powers. |
| "We do not know how many will take up the powers but we do not anticipate that many," he said. | "We do not know how many will take up the powers but we do not anticipate that many," he said. |
| He added that motoring organisations would be included in discussions. | He added that motoring organisations would be included in discussions. |
| Penalty fines | Penalty fines |
| Drivers in London face fines up to £100 for offences including stopping in a box junction and ignoring no right turn and no entry signs. | Drivers in London face fines up to £100 for offences including stopping in a box junction and ignoring no right turn and no entry signs. |
| Nick Lester, of London Councils, told BBC Breakfast: "We found that using cameras to enforce minor moving traffic offences has been very successful in improving the traffic flow in London." | Nick Lester, of London Councils, told BBC Breakfast: "We found that using cameras to enforce minor moving traffic offences has been very successful in improving the traffic flow in London." |
| We do not want it to be a gravy train for local authorities Paul WattersThe AA Motoring Trust href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4411&edition=1&ttl=20061021103237" class="">Send us your views He said that enforcing box junctions "seriously" had cut congestion by between 10 and 20%. | |
| But Paul Watters, of The AA Motoring Trust, said: "We have certainly seen with parking it is all about revenue and I think there is a great worry with cameras and junctions... that people are going to think it is all about revenue again. | But Paul Watters, of The AA Motoring Trust, said: "We have certainly seen with parking it is all about revenue and I think there is a great worry with cameras and junctions... that people are going to think it is all about revenue again. |
| "We do not want it to be a gravy train really for local authorities, so there are concerns about what the motivation of the camera being there is." | "We do not want it to be a gravy train really for local authorities, so there are concerns about what the motivation of the camera being there is." |
| Rise in offences | Rise in offences |
| Sheila Granger, campaigns manager at the RAC, expressed concern that increased use of the cameras could lead to fewer traffic police on the roads. | Sheila Granger, campaigns manager at the RAC, expressed concern that increased use of the cameras could lead to fewer traffic police on the roads. |
| "There are problems on the roads that the cameras simply can't spot, problems like drug-driving, people using their mobile phones," she said. | "There are problems on the roads that the cameras simply can't spot, problems like drug-driving, people using their mobile phones," she said. |
| "These are things where we still need to have experts on the ground who can pull motorists over and correct their behaviour." | "These are things where we still need to have experts on the ground who can pull motorists over and correct their behaviour." |
| Earlier this year, Home Office statistics showed that motoring offences dealt with by police reached a record high of 13.5 million in 2004. | Earlier this year, Home Office statistics showed that motoring offences dealt with by police reached a record high of 13.5 million in 2004. |
| Traffic cameras identified two million of those offences, up from 447,000 six years earlier, the figures showed. | Traffic cameras identified two million of those offences, up from 447,000 six years earlier, the figures showed. |
| Transport for London has more than 70 traffic cameras in the capital, with 11 London councils also having installed devices. | Transport for London has more than 70 traffic cameras in the capital, with 11 London councils also having installed devices. |