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Speed camera anguish
Oct 2 2003
By Ben Hurst, Evening Mail
A staggering 230,000 motorists have been snared by speed cameras in the West Midlands in the last year - an incredible one every two minutes.
With a £60 fine handed out by police to each driver it has meant a huge £13.8 million cash bonanza for the authorities.
The huge cash earner today sparked outcry, with motoring groups branding it a scam and a back door stealth tax.
Russell Eden, spokesman for the West Midlands branch of the Association of British Drivers, said: The Government and West Midlands police have done very nicely out of this scam.
The authorities are rubbing their hands together with glee at the amount of money they are receiving, but dont believe they are doing anything to improve road safety.
He questioned the need for so-called safety cameras which are springing up on long straight roads with no history of accident problems.
They are places where the police know they will catch people speeding, he said.
Motor insurance specialists Quoteline Direct revealed the figures today as it emerged the numbers of speed cameras have increased by ten per cent in the West Midlands.
Group Director Paul OGorman said: One in ten people can expect to get flashed by a speed camera this year and with 2.3 million drivers in the region, it means someone is being caught every two minutes. With the number of speed cameras going up year on year. I expect this figure to go up again next year.
The fact that someone has three points on their licence isnt in our view a true representation of their driving ability.
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman, who was unable to say how many police officers had been caught or fined by the cameras, said: It should be pointed out that you are only fined if you are caught speeding.
