Avon and Somerset Police units will be out and about across the force area with speed-detection cameras. The six teams, based at Almondsbury, Keynsham and Taunton, will target roads where crashes have occurred. 'Misunderstandings' | "We are not out to catch drivers. Our aim is to persuade drivers to travel at a safe speed and so reduce the number of crashes on our roads." | | Dick Bowen |
"The Avon and Somerset Safety Camera Partnership has been operating in Somerset for some time now, but it seems there are still misunderstandings about its work and objectives," said the organisation's Dave Gollicker. "It plans to persuade drivers to travel at safe speeds through a campaign of enforcement and education to bring about a change in driver behaviour." Vehicles clearly marked Dick Bowen from the Partnership said: "We are not out to catch drivers. Our aim is to persuade drivers to travel at a safe speed and so reduce the number of crashes on our roads. "We continuously monitor the safety record of local roads and deploy mobile cameras to locations where there have been speed-related collisions. We are being as open as possible with the public. "These vehicles are clearly marked and highly visible, and all our static roadside cameras are painted bold yellow and are visible to an approaching driver, from at least 60 metres." Permission to spend fines The Avon and Somerset Safety Partnership has been formed by police, highways authorities, the magistrates' courts service, health authorities, Crown Prosecution Service and Highways Agency. It has been given Government permission to use money from speeding fines to finance additional cameras and ancillary equipment, including vehicles. In the first three months after the launch of the Safety Camera Partnership in April 2002, the number of fatal and serious crashes in the Avon and Somerset area fell by 16 per cent. Mr Gollicker said: "Research has shown around a third of all crashes are caused by speed. "This campaign will reduce the pain and suffering of crash victims and their relatives - and benefit everyone in the community." Check out the Safety Camera Partnership website for details of camera locations - the link is at the top of the page. You can talk to like-minded souls about speed cameras on the Action Network website - again the link is at the top of the page. | 
