Road Deaths Plummet After Cameras Blitz

A MASSIVE increase in speed cameras has been credited with a dramatic fall in the number of people killed on Edinburgh’s roads.

In what is seen as a ringing endorsement for speed cameras, figures obtained by the Evening News show the number of people killed in road accidents has plummeted since they were introduced.

The number of people killed on the city’s roads has fallen by 72 per cent since 2002, according to statistics released by the Lothian and Borders Safety Camera Partnership (LBSCP), from around 47 to just 13 last year.

The news follows the publication of recent figures which show the number of speeding fines handed out in Edinburgh has more than trebled since extra cameras were introduced. An average of 55 people now get caught every day.

Motoring groups said speeding was still a major issue, but acknowledged the fastest drivers who caused deaths on the road were being curbed by cameras.

Corstorphine Road West, St John’s Road and Telford Road show the most dramatic reductions in deaths or serious injuries from six, seven and seven respectively between 2000 to 2002 to just three collectively in 2004.

Statistics also show the average speed of drivers has fallen from 32mph to 30mph. Superintendent Colin McNeill, traffic branch commander for the LBSCP, said: "The aim of the safety camera partnerships has always been to reduce road casualties by encouraging and enforcing appropriate speeds.

"The significant downward trend in personal injury collisions and killed/seriously injured crashes at the camera sites is heartening. In addition, the reduction in speeds at these sites has demonstrated that our faith in this technology is justifiable."

Personal injury collisions, where someone is injured in an accident involving a vehicle, have also fallen from around 445 in 2002 to just 134 in 2004, down 70 per cent.

New cameras were installed at 17 accident blackspots last year as part of a £2 million initiative, with a total of 35 fixed and mobile camera sites now operating around the city. Previously, only 18 cameras operated.

Police chiefs hope the new cameras will bring in an extra £6m a year to the anti-speeding scheme and other road-safety initiatives.

Tory leader David McLetchie said: "No-one denies speed cameras can play an important part at dangerous stretches of road.

"Our objection has always been that sometimes these cameras are situated in places to collect revenue and not appropriately sited in the most dangerous roads."

But Neil Greig, head of policy for the AA in Scotland, said research had shown most AA members supported speed cameras.

He said: "Where speed cameras are sited is extremely important because they are very, very successful and do save a lot of lives.

"The only problem is that these benefits don’t seem to be spreading further afield, which is why it is important they are sited in areas which are, for example, accident blackspots."

Sue Nicholson, head of campaigns for the RAC in Scotland, said: "[These figures are] very encouraging and it just shows that cameras do work if they are in the right places."

source: The Scotsman (Last Updated: Wednesday 9 Feb, 2005)

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