Grants to local authorities announced today by Department for Transport cut speed camera expenditure substantially.

* Many areas see a real-terms cut in budget* The budget allocated will not be spent only on speed cameras, but will also be spent on other road safety interventions* Zero growth is allowed over the next 4 years.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "The strong cut in the speed camera programme implied by this announcement is welcome news, but it is far too little and far too late."

"Clearly Department for Transport has LOST CONFIDENCE in the speed camera programme and is shifting responsibility to local authorities. It is absolutely shameful that they are doing this without a clear public admission of the abject failure of the speed camera programme to improve road safety. Clearly they are hoping that it will fade away - but that simply not good enough."

"Speed cameras have proved to be a major distraction from real road safety and our roads will not get safer until they are scrapped."