Claire Armstrong,co- founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign(safespeed.org.uk) said:
We are delighted to receive the news this afternoon that “The Wiltshire and Swindon Camera Safety Partnership will close in the autumn ...“
We have long called for the removal of all speed cameras as this scheme is a flawed road safety policy and the sooner it ends the sooner we can return to having the safest roads in the world, and to start to undo some of the damage done to the relationship between the Police and the public.This will help to re-establish trust and respect by the public to the authorities, but we first need to restore our trust in the Government.We need to look at re-setting many speeds by using appropriate and well trusted methods. (Such as the 85th percentile) *1
Much research needs to be carried out by road engineers, to use known well researched and trusted methods to ensure that road receive the best design for safety. We appreciate that this is going to be difficult with budget cuts, and so motorists will need to be patient and understanding.We know that Police presence has a positive benefit to road safety and this must be re-introduced as soon as possible, but we caution that many officers will need to be re-trained and encouraged to be proportionate, offer guidance, as well as enforce, when appropriate.
Speed cameras have been a massive distraction to the local Authorities from proper road safety initiatives based on sound engineering, the Police from the former excellent Road Policing Standards, Road users from the task of Safe Driving (Riding), and Nationally from the real causes of Road Dangers.
The awful tragedy and awful truth is that speed cameras have made, the roads more dangerous by replacing effective policies by, distorting priorities, distracting drivers (riders), damaging the public and the police relationship, giving us false safety messages about speed, pretends that the speed limit gives a safety limit irrespective of conditions and takes away valuable and important thinking time.
The best road safety asset is a good safe road user who fully appreciates their responsibility, such as ensuring they can stop in the distance that they know to be clear.
Managing risk and having good judgement are key to good road safety. Being courteous, considerate, observe well, anticipate, being very aware to our environment and adjusting to conditions, allowing good space all around us for our own mistakes and that of others and giving good time to react, are all to be encouraged and followed, by the good motorist.
Telling or enforcing drivers / riders to simply slow down is against our instincts to drive safely; it is a numeric exercise and has nothing to do with road safety. Our driving culture has altered since this was launched 18 years ago and the standards of driving / riding have dropped considerably.
A re-launch of good road user message needs to remind all road users of their responsibilities and remember that there is never a time to drive (ride) at and inappropriate speed.
