MPs have stated their desire to implement more average speed cameras along the UK's main roads in a bid to catch more motorists that drive too quickly. The combined figure of detected motoring offences has more than halved during the last 10 years. In 2004, the number of driving offences totalled 4.33 million, but figures for 2013 _ the last year for which figures are available _ amounted to 1.62 million. MPs within the Transport Committee feel that some of this reduction may be due to decreased detection, following significant budget cuts to road traffic police. Subsequently, there's a desire among MPs to ensure detection rates are higher, via specialised traffic officers or greater use of technology. The Transport Committee's report on road traffic enforcement across the UK says speed cameras are an 'important and effective part of the technology toolkitî and, if enforcement is going to be effective, greater use of technology is essential. The report adds that average speed cameras are largely 'better received by motorists than traditional fixed speed camerasî, but existing schemes should be assessed for their long-term effectiveness. Based on this, Highways England should develop best practice for their deployment. The report also states that speed camera placement must relate to safety rather than revenue with regards to improving speed limit compliance, with reductions in road casualties the number-one priority. 'We recommend that the Government monitor the placement of speed cameras by local authorities to ensure that this is the case,î the report continues. 'Where revenue is taken from speed camera enforcement, the funding arrangements must be transparent and the revenue put back into road safety grants rather than kept by local authorities or the Treasury.î The majority (90 per cent) of fixed penalty notices issued for exceeding the speed limit were camera-detected in England and Wales throughout 2014, accounting for 668,081 out of 743,054 fixed penalty notices. Meanwhile data from the Department for Transport (DfT) indicates that breaking the speed limit was a contributory factor in 254 fata road accidents in 2014 _ almost a fifth (16 per cent) of all fatal accidents and 1,199 serious road accidents. David Davies, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) told the Transport Committee that the new average speed camera scheme on the A9 in Scotland _ now the longest dual carriageway stretch of road with average speed cameras _ has resulted in 'safety and traffic benefitsî that have, to date, been 'substantialî.
