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From The Times
July 29, 2008
Speed cameras and road safety keep drivers within 30mph speed limit
Motorists are sticking to the 30mph speed limit in greater numbers than at any point in the last decade, Department for Transport statistics have revealed.
Driving groups said that a proliferation of speed cameras and a series of hard-hitting road safety campaigns were the two key factors behind the stronger adherence to speed limits.
In the past ten years drivers of all types of vehicles have reduced their speed but the biggest drop has been among car owners. According to the DfT 70 per cent of cars travelled at speeds in excess of the 30mph limit in 1997 but this had fallen to fewer than half by last year.
It was reported last month that road deaths had fallen below 3,000 for the first time since records began in 1926. Motoring experts said that a greater compliance with the speed limit had helped to reduce road fatalities.
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Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “The prevalence of speed cameras has led to a change in attitude to speeding in urban areas. The fact they are out there has meant the people think twice about speeding. And very effective advertising campaigns have hit home. That has definitely made a difference.”
Although the new figures do not include information from this year when the rise in fuel prices started to gather pace, the AA said that the relatively small increase in car traffic between 2006 and 2007 showed that the high cost of fuel probably began to have an effect a few years ago.
Overall, car traffic has increased by 11 per cent since Labour returned to power in 1997 and now comprises 79 per cent of all traffic.
The largest rise has been for “White Van Man” light van traffic which grew by nearly 5 per cent between 2006 and 2007 and has soared by 40 per cent since 1997. The continuing increase in van traffic continues a trend which probably stems from the large rise in home deliveries.
Norman Baker, transport spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said: “This is a comprehensive catalogue of failures for 11 years of Labour government. Almost every indicator is going the wrong way.
“Despite [former Transport Secretary] John Prescott's claims in 1997 to cut the number of cars on the roads, the Government has now given up on reducing traffic and has resorted to discredited 1980s road-building policies. Just last year Ruth Kelly announced yet another £6 billion to widen motorways. This is an abdication of responsibility.
“The Government has taken its hands off the steering wheel and the car is going downhill fast.”
Also in the report, Road Statistics 2007: Traffic, Speeds and Congestion, were statistics showing that the average traffic speed over the whole network fell from 55.4mph in 2005 to 55.0mph in 2007. The average speed for the weekday evening peak fell by 1.4 per cent.
Chris Hannant, head of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “These statistics are yet further evidence that congestion on our crumbling road network is unacceptable. According to our research the annual cost of congestion to UK business now stands at a staggering £17.55 billion.
“Businesses depend on free flowing roads in order to function as competitively as possible. Whilst the Government has made some short-term commitments to help ease the gridlock, far more long-term, innovative and ambitious thinking is needed. There is no more time for dithering from the DfT. The dire state of our roads must be tackled head on or the competitiveness of UK plc will be compromised.”
Mr King added: “These figures show that as a nation we are still dependent on our cars although traffic growth for cars has perhaps reached a plateau. The growth of ‘White Van Man' continues with light van traffic growing at a faster pace. This reflects the growth of the service economy although we would expect this growth to slow in the current economic climate.”
If the figures show that twice as many people are now traveling at the speed limit, why hasn't the death rate halved as well?
If speeding really is the problem then these statistics would prove it - but they don't!
Maybe death on the roads is caused by bad driving - bring back traffic police patrols
golitopi, Deeside,
Tell how many road collisions are caused by speed alone?
Not many, most are due to wreckless and driving with undue care and attention, drink/drug driving and road rage.
Speed only becomes wreckless when they weave in and out of traffic and mount pavements and crash other objects.
Lyn, London,
We drive in to London, 90% of the time, padestrians just walk out in front you from out of know where, they don't cross at crossings, are mostly interested in reading a book, paper, fiddling with ipods, phones and pda's and just walk straight out
How about fining them the same as drivers?
Lyn, London,
Camera revenue doesn't go to the councils anymore like it used to. No Labour switched that to the Treasurey Coffers, wonder why. Councils use to use the revenue raised from fines to pay for new road safety schemes, now they pay Labour £400,000 a year instead for the schemes.
Lyn, London,
30 in a 30 limit is fine but 27 in a 30 limit, 37 in a 40 limit, etc., frustrates those behind who may then do silly things. It's also bad for the environment because it forces many people to change down a gear. Optimistic speedos at fault?
Dave H, Newbury,
Think lots of people are looking to save money by not using as much petrol rather than keeping within speed limits
Hugh Johns, Hull, UK
There are some real idiots on the road with no foresight into how road conditions, pedestrians and other traffic interact with each other.
The balance of responsibility must be greater for those being self-propelled in one tonne plus lumps of metal.
Rob, B'ham, UK
There is an advert that shows a girl being "repaired" as her injuries are played in reverse. "If I'm hit at 40mph there's an 80% chance I'll die, if I'm hit at 30mph there's an 80% chance I'll live". Try "DON'T WALK OUT IN FRONT OF A MOVING VEHICLE THEN YOU WON'T BE HURT AT ALL".
kaz, northants,
Everyone please bare in mind that none of the figures take into account the improvments in car design that save lives. Speed does not kill, bad driving or stupid pedestrians do.
Kaz, northants,
Labour government policies have reduced road deaths to the lowest ever recorded. So lets all attack Labour for some reason.
Malcolm, Wirral, UK
It would be nice to see the Police occasionally stick to the limit. we all know they don't. And unless they are approaching take-off speed, they are never prosecuted.
Hard to respect the speed limit in such circumstances
Phil Bailey, Shrewsbury, UK
Terry,
Are you setting your cruise control by your speedometer? or something accurate?
Rob, Gloucester,
A small number of fixed speed cameras, plus an even smaller number of mobile cameras at well-publicised locations, simply means that most drivers speed most of the time everywhere else. Cameras are no substitute for police patrols.
Ben Garside, Loughborough, UK
I don't know where you get your pie-in-the-sky figures. I do know, that when I switch on cruise control and set the speed limit, I am overtaken literally by everyone.
Terry Dell, Weybridge, UK
If drivers are getting safer and cause less accidents shouldn't car insurance drop as a result from the statistics?
Justin Guerin, Chatham, Canada
Maia, Bicester
You're correct to a point, but driving much below the limit without good reason shows lack of competence (known in the test as 'making good progress') its also inconsiderate and can be deemed dangerous driving by the police. Also, why would they drive that slowly in good conditions?
Rob, Gloucester,
If people cannot drive competently and confidently to THE ROAD CONDITIONS. then they would fail their test and shouldn''t be on the road.
note: at no point have I encouraged breaking the speed limit in this rant!
Rob, Gloucester, Glos
Dont you think if cameras were about taxation, they would set the fine higher than £60?
Of course they work, though why they are painted yellow so everyone can lock their breaks and then floor the accelerator again, I dont know.
Julian Peterson, London / Singapore, UK / Singapore
Rob, Gloucester
The speed limit means the maximum speed allowed on a road, not the speed you must travel at. Drivers can travel at any speed up to the speed limit (without driving dangerously of course).
A driver is perfectly entitled to drive at 25 in a 30, 50 in a 60 etc.
Maia, Bicester,
Speed cameras are around for one reason and one reason alone, stealth TAXATION.... and police crime clear up rate stats, OK so two reasons.
They have NOTHING to do with "road safety" in fact in some spots since cameras were introduced accidents have gone up!!
It's all about money money money!!!
Anto, London, England
The police would rather go around fining motorists for doing 34mph in 30mph zones than they would catch burglars for stealing you stuff.
Did you know, when someone has paid a speeding fine that is classed as a SOLVED CRIME, yes a solved crime!, just shows, you can prove anything with statistics.
Anto, London, England
Install these cameras everywhere there is a likelihood of catching speeders. If the money raised went toward council tax it would be supported by the vast majority who would benefit from lower taxes at the expense of the inconsiderate.
D Case, Newquay,
john, llandeilo
Maybe the 'impatient' driving is due to inconsiderate drivers doing 25 in a 30, 50 in a 60 in good weather/visibility conditions etc. The amount of people who think national speed limit on a dual carriage way is 60 when it is in fact 70 (check the highway code) is astounding!
Rob, Gloucester, Glos
The idea that building further roads is discredited as per the Liberal Democrats spokemen is rubbish. If you trippled the number of roads overnight I bet you I could not find a traffic jam tomorrow. It is just lack for vision and action that feeds the logic that you cannot build out congestion.
John, Egremont,
The problem is that apart from 30 mph roads in our towns and cities we also need 40 mph and (yes!) 50 mph roads to get from A to C and there are not enough of the latter. People do not drive to amuse themselves but to get to their destination and should be assisted in this rather than frustrated .
Mariusz Kuklinski, London,
I "blame" (I don't actually) more and more cars having cruise control - hit a 30mph zone and put on cruise control - more attention to the road and less to the speedo and looking for cameras.
Richard, Newton Abbot,
Is keeping to the 'speed limit' really the problem? Or is it a lack of respect to other road users as defined by the Highway Code?
If a driver is aware of what is going on around them, and pedestrians are similarly aware, then the onus of responsibility is clouded.
Its not always the drivers!
Phil Austin, RAUNDS, Albion
I have a proposition which will double the use of cameras (pleasing that lot) and is guaranteed to make our roads safer:
- put another camera near the original camera
- photograph all who brake for cameras facing the wrong way
If they are so stupid and unaware to do so, they're not fit to drive.
Tom Franklin, London, UK
What keeps drivers to keep to 30 more than anything else is the sheer number of cars on the road. It's difficult to go any faster.
judy, Liverpool, England
I've started driving every where at 30 mph simply to see the effect on my fuel consumption which is positive. I'm also more relaxed and chilled by the time I get to work as well as slightly better off! Shower curtain ring sales reps and white van man take note. Oh, and not forgetting Audi drivers!
JL Carter, Huddersfield, UK
Is it compulsory for every politician to talk complete nonsense? I actually don't think that the reduction in deaths is part of a "comprehensive catalogue of failures" Perhaps the Liberals would prefer an increase in deaths?
Ken Whysall, Hemel Hempstead,
The sooner "they" bring in average speed cameras the better.
john, llandeilo, wales
Not so much careless driving as impatient driving.
john, llandeilo, wales
Yes and i bet there is no drop in accidents and incidents on the roads where the speed limit is being observed, but, there will be a drop in revenue from these redundant speed cameras , which won't suit the tax grabbing govt. Stand by for more better cameras.
David, Hornchurch Essex, UK
I'll bet the speed on motorways has reduced since the rise in fuel prices - and that's in the absence of speed cameras. So not all reductions in speed are due to cameras although I daresay that the speeds are lower near speed cameras.
Ian Burgess, Bristol,
I'd suggest to Arthur the problem is actually caused by people who slow down for cameras even though they are pointing the wrong way and regulars of those particular roads and those with good eyesight being forced to brake hard as a result!
Gavril Prinzip, Bromley, UK
With drink-driving, the public HAS been won over by the arguments.
With speeding, we HAVEN'T. Rather we're just very wary of the penalties (license points, fines, insurance hike).
Even the government's own stats show speeding is NOT the main cause of accidents - careless driving IS.
Clive, Surrey,
Does it stop pedestrians stepping out in front of vehicles in the first place? No, thought not.
What's being done about the primary cause of pedestrian-vehicle collisions?
Oh yes, absolutely nothing.
Laura Roberts, London, UK
Do the statistics also show drivers speeding up as soon as they are past the camera? Surely aggressive breaking and accelerating is worse than a steady speed?
Arthur, Newcastle,