[box title=”Bye Bye Speed cameras “]The delivery services sector won’t be alone in not shedding too many tears that a whole raft of speed cameras are being taken out of commission due to cuts in central Government funding. The safety camera partnerships in England and Wales say that they can no longer afford to operate the large number of cameras throughout the road network, but the yellow boxes will remain to deter motorists. Like most commercial motoring organisations, and indeed private motorists, the delivery services sector is somewhat bemused that after years of the Government and local authorities claiming it’s not about the money, it’s about safety, once the funds have dried up, the cameras are going. Delivery companies have remained sceptical about such safety-only claims, because when the Government was in effect subsidising the installation and operation of cameras, local authorities could reap a tidy profit. Once that subsidy was withdrawn and profits diverted to the Treasury, suddenly the appetite was lost. It’s reckoned that in the first round of cuts, some 10% of the total 4,000 fixed speed cameras will be shut down. The most affected county is the West Midlands which will lose just over 200 cameras, with Staffordshire next at around 100. Northamptonshire will see a tad over 40 closed down and Somerset some 15. Hampshire loses around 5. These are the five counties losing the most cameras, but far more shut downs are expected in the future. Ironically, mainland Europe seems to be just embracing the idea of fixed speed cameras, so the European transport sector will want to see how a more widespread use of the devices will effect costs over the coming years. Many local authorities say that the switch off does not mean turning a blind eye to speeding and more roving speed patrols, undertaken by the police, will be started. Whatever happens, there are many in the delivery services sector who will not miss the passing of many of the silent speed sentinels of the road![/box]
