Speed cameras target M4 drivers

 

The first speed cameras targeting drivers exceeding the 70mph speed limit on a British motorway are due to be switched on along the M4.

All speeding motorists - not just those well above the limit - on the Wiltshire section of the motorway now face £60 fines and three penalty points. The Wiltshire Safety Camera Partnership is putting marked vans along a 40-mile stretch between Bath and Hungerford. It says it hopes they will reduce the high number of deaths on the route.

North Wiltshire Tory candidate James Gray attacked the plans as being for Labour's "politically correct, money-making reasons".

'Politically correct'

But a Labour party spokesman said they were there to help save lives. "I fail to see how a speed camera can be politically correct," he said. "Speed cameras are used as one of many means to help improve road safety in communities across the country."

But Mr Gray said that if the Tories were voted into power, they would raise the speed limit on motorways to 80mph.

He said: "If speed cameras are designed to reduce accidents, then I support them. "However if they are designed to raise revenues for the government or to be politically correct - saying 'Aren't we being good, putting up speed cameras?' - then I don't."

The plan involves installing cameras from junctions 14 - Hungerford - to 18 - Bath - of the motorway.

But Mr Gray said: "The M4 is virtually straight between those junctions. "I cannot think of any dangerous stretches. I am not aware of any safety reason why cameras should be there."

'Speeding rate'

Saira Khan, of the Swindon and Wiltshire Safety Camera Partnership, said: "I'm sure Mr Gray is aware, as is everyone else, that we have to comply with the rules. "We know that if we have cameras then the speeding rate goes down and the severity of casualties goes down too."

Paul Fox, the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary candidate, said speed camera laws should be enforced. "They are a good thing because they are the one thing motorists take notice of and speed kills," he said.

Labour's parliamentary candidate for North Wiltshire is David Nash. He says hardly a week goes by without there being an accident between the two junctions. "Bearing in mind the motorway is virtually straight the only reason for this has to be speed therefore I fully support the introduction of speed cameras on this stretch," he said.

 

 

:headvswal :headvswal :headvswal

 

VOTE THE RED SHITE OUT :mac1:

Yep seen this on the news last night, just lucky that I don't have to go near the sodding M4 to get to Reading! Where does this sh1t ever end?? T0ssers!!! :mad:

Will affect a hell of a lot of people going to Japfest tho :(

Probably why they're doing it!

Plus anyone going to Ztech......!!

 

Lets just hope there only there for a short time.

 

I guess it be a slow drive to Japfest :(

 

I think I will be voteing for my 1st and it mit be Blue..

Hmmmm.....long straight bit of road with speed cameras.......sounds like an ideal recipe for slamming on the brakes (even if the knobs are doing 10 mph UNDER the limit), concertina effect and CRUNCH!!

 

'SAFETY' cameras.... MY ARSE!!

 

Of course, its way too difficult to teach the public to drive properly in the first place, or follow the golden rule of all driving.....LANE DISCIPLINE!!!

FYI

 

Approximately 8.3km east of junction 17

Approximately 3.1km east of junction 17

Approximately 8.4km west of junction 16

Approximately 3km east of junction 16

At Junction 15

Approximately 6.9km east of junction 15

Approximately 1.8km west of junction 15

i wouldnt mind getting done for speeding if it was just a fixed penalty,

 

but points and being persecuted by insurance companies for up to 5 years just makes it too much