Will road safety be affected if speed cameras in the Yate area are turned off?

By Rebecca2009 | Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 21:06

It looks like fixed speed cameras in our district could be turned off because of funding cuts - is this good or bad news for Yate? Is it going to affect road safety?

Speed cameras: do you like them or loathe them?

Some people argue that the cameras are just a blatant tax on the motorist, and that they are counter-productive, with drivers tending to break the speed limit when they are not around.

Others, like Roadpeace, the national charity for road crash victims, think they save lives.

South Gloucestershire Council has confirmed it will not fund fixed speed cameras beyond the end of March. It currently provides £144,842 funding a year.

A spokesman said: "The council is committed to road safety and the cameras are just one element of a wider strategy. Education, training and road engineering all contribute to making South Gloucestershire's roads amongst the safest in the country."

Other cash-strapped councils in the West Country have either already decided to stop funding them or are due to make a decision during February and March.

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Comments

Judging by the number of people who still cross Station Road opposite Tesco Express, about 30 seconds walk from the crossing - no I don't think there is much understanding of road hazards. After all, not using that crossing must save someone the whole of a minute yet put them at much more danger.

By japitts at 09:09 on 17/03/11
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I agree. Peoples understandings of the road have been lost. I wonder if is still part of the education programme to practise crossing the road and understanding all the dangerous present on a road? Do they still so cycle safety at school?

By jean1510 at 18:15 on 16/03/11
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Speed is only one aspect of road safety. Safe speed can occur in excess of the posted limit, just as much as lethal speed can occur inside it. In my personal opinion the loss of the speed cameras - redundancies and job losses aside - is no great loss, possibly an improvement. One real problem is that proper roads policing and "green cross code" style education, has long been lost and will likely not return.

By japitts at 08:21 on 16/03/11
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Remember that speed is only one aspect of road safety. Safe speed can occur in excess of the posted limit, just as much as lethal speed can occur inside it. In my personal opinion the loss of the speed cameras - redundancies and job losses aside - is no great loss, possibly an improvement. One real problem is that proper roads policing and "green cross code" style education, has long been lost and will likely not return.

By japitts at 08:21 on 16/03/11
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Is it really a good idea if the Police were to take over funding? I Think if we lost speed cameras in South Glos it would only be bad news. Certainly in Yate I feel they serve a great purpose and help with the road safety in the area.

By jean1510 at 20:06 on 24/02/11
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