SPEED SIGNS

Speed limits across the country are set to be slashed to as low as 20mph under the biggest shake-up for road safety for more than a decade. Local authorities have been ordered to look at whether limits should be reduced on over 67,000 miles of British road in a bid to cut the number of accidents. The changes also mean that 60 mph limits on country roads, where 63% of deaths occur, could be brought down to as low as 30 or 40mph.

The move has been welcomed by safety campaigners, but some motoring organisations warned that the measures would create more danger. Transport minister Stephen Ladyman said he wanted all councils to look at introducing 'appropriate' limits on rural and urban roads. Issuing the new guidelines, Mr Ladyman pointed to the fact that 20mph limits had proved successful in areas such as villages and around schools.

Ministers have shifted the responsibility for changing speed limits to town halls for fear of triggering a public outcry from motorists who are furious about car and petrol tax hikes and plans for nationwide road charges. Ministers stressed that national speed limit levels will not change. But the new rules apply to over 67,000 miles of A and B roads in Britain which are run by local authorities, compared with the 12,625 miles which are run by the Highway's Agency.

Town halls will now have to review these routes, which are mostly trunk routes which link town and cities, by 2011. Earlier in 2005, Portsmouth became the first city to announce a blanket speed reduction in residential streets to 20mph and more cities are expected to follow suit. MPs on the Environment Audit committee have also called for speed limits to be reduced to cut carbon emissions and improve noise pollution. (Source: Mail on Sunday, Aug/06)

Signs telling drivers to slow down can save more lives than speed cameras. The devices have radars that tell if cars are speeding. If they are, motorists then see a message warning them to slow down — or reminding them of the speed limit. Most police forces have spurned the system for more speed cameras after they were allowed to keep some of the cash from fines. But in one county the electronic signs have slashed average speeds by 4mph and accidents by 34%.

That compares with speed cameras cutting speeds by 3.7mph and accidents by just 14% nationally. The devices cost £5,000 each, a fifth of what a speed camera costs. Mike Winnett, author of the Transport Research Laboratory report, said, “Drivers don’t need the threat of prosecution to make them cut their speed.” He said the shame of being shown speeding causes them to slow down.

The RAC says forces should consider replacing cameras with the signs. But the Safety Camera Partnership, which co-ordinates the 36 forces in the cash-for-cameras scheme, said the signs would lead to “complacency”, and speeders needed to be punished. Last May the Government banned hidden cameras but a High Court ruling reversed the ban. Northumbria Police Acting Chief Inspector of motor patrols, Paul Gilroy said, "Speed cameras don't reduce casualties, they are just for revenue generation." Like, we didn't already know that.

Speeding is not the main cause of death on Britain's roads, according to statistics released by the Department for Transport (DfT) to explain what causes road accidents. For fatal accidents the most frequently reported contributory factor was loss of control, which was involved in 35% of road deaths.

By comparisson, exceeding the speed limit or going too fast for the conditions were reported as a contributory factor in 26% of all fatal accidents, and only 15% of all accidents involving injury. Failure to look properly was the most frequently reported contributory factor and was involved in 32% of all injury accidents.

Paul Smith, of the Safe Speed organisation, said, "Safe Speed has been pointing out for years that the concentration on speeding was a deadly mistake. The Department for Transport has been defending bad decisions and bad policy for years. Now it must stop. Speed cameras must be scrapped. Heads must roll." (Source: Times Online, Sep/06)

Millions of motorists caught by speed traps have been warned they face a £400million hike in premiums over five years. More than two million are this year set to get a three-point penalty after being caught speeding. It will cost an average £196 more in insurance premiums by 2008. Drivers with six points face a £512.85 rise, according to Cyclops, the firm which makes an in-car gadget warning drivers of speed cameras. Failure to declare speeding fines to insurers could invalidate claims on policies.