COST RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR SPEED CAMERA ENFORCEMENT - HOW IT WORKS TO REDUCE CASUALTIES

Speed and traffic signal enforcement cameras were introduced into the UK in 1991. Research shows that they are a highly effective intervention for reducing traffic collisions and casualties. There are clear relationships between reducing excess traffic speed and reducing collisions, but enforcement using automatic cameras is expensive. In 1998 the UK Government decided that fine income from speed and traffic signal cameras could be netted-off and used to finance camera enforcement. The paper explains how the administrative, legal and financial arrangements were developed and managed, it explains the rules on siting and operating cameras to achieve both effectiveness and fairness, and how public awareness was developed to promote acceptance of the scheme. The overall objective was to reduce road collisions and casualties and the full two-year results for the pilot areas, plus progress and results from the additional partnership areas now operating are presented. The UK Government developed a new funding arrangement that was piloted in eight areas by administrative partnerships of agencies responsible for the enforcement process, including the police, local highway authorities and the courts. This required complex administrative, organisational and legal relationships to be established locally, regionally and with central government. Each partnership is based geographically on a police force area, of which there are 43 in England and Wales and 8 in Scotland. The eight pilot partnerships began using the new funding arrangement in April 2000 for a two-year trial under temporary legislation. The areas were selected to offer a balance between urban and rural areas, casualty problems and different historical approaches to enforcement. Activities in each area were fully monitored to demonstrate performance in the key areas of speed and casualty reduction, public acceptance and financial and legal aspects. During the pilot phase legislation was introduced to allow payments to the partnerships on a permanent legal basis. The pilots were so successful in their first year that ministers decided to make the scheme available throughout the UK as soon as possible, although the pilots continued to be carefully monitored. First year results showed reductions in the average number of fatally and seriously injured casualties of 47% at camera sites and 18% across the eight areas. National rollout began in stages from August 2001 and by summer 2002 there were 28 Safety Camera Partnerships operating under the new funding arrangement, covering more than half the police force areas in the UK. By summer 2003 most areas will be covered by the new arrangement, and already it has saved many hundreds of people from death and serious injury on our roads. For the covering abstract see ITRD E123193.

  • Corporate Authors:

    ICTCT SECRETARIAT

    DANHAUSERGASSE 6/4
    VIENNA,   Austria  A-1040
  • Authors:
    • WADDAMS, A
  • Publication Date: 2002

Language

  • English

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00984182
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Jan 7 2005 12:00AM