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LEAP IN DRIVERS CAUGHT ON CAMERA
Numbers of drivers caught on speed camera continue to rise. The
number of drivers caught speeding in north Wales over the summer
has risen by around a third, the latest figures show.
More than 32,300 motorists were caught on camera exceeding the
speed limit in the five months from April to August. That compares
with about 20,000 drivers in the same period last year. The figures
come in the wake of criticism of North Wales Police Chief Constable
Richard Brunstrom that his officers appear to be concentrating too
much on speeding. The police chief has denied that catching speeding
motorists was a priority.
New figures show that Arrive Alive - the speed camera campaign
set up to cut the number of accidents in the region - has almost
doubled the number of roads it targets since it was set up in 2001.
Last year 53 roads across north Wales - around 10% of the area's
total network - were covered by a mix of fixed and mobile cameras.
"Arrive Alive was set up to try to cut the number of fatalities
on the roads by telling drivers to drop their speed," said
a spokeswoman. "Really, we would prefer to see no offences
at all." She said the number of fatalities on the road had
fallen by 38% in the region in 2002 - with only one death on a road
covered by Arrive Alive. But not all the 32,333 motorists caught
on speed camera in the past five months get a fixed penalty fine
of £60 and three points on their licence.
Criticisms
The spokeswomen said around 18% were not fined. In July, chief constable
Richard Brunstrom robustly defended himself against criticisms that
he was more concerned with speeding motorists than catching burglars.
He said speeding "was a form of anti-social behaviour".
He also held a news conference to criticise a retired bank manager,
Bill Shaw, who attacked him after being caught on a speed camera.
Figures from the three other Welsh police forces are monitored
by one organisation - the Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership.
Its figures will not be available until they are published by the
Government in October. North Wales Police also declined to comment
on the latest figures from Arrive Alive. The speed camera campaign
is run by health authorities and other organisations - in addition
to the police force.
Source: BBC News - Web site, Wednesday, 3 September 2003.
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