In future drivers can expect to be prosecuted at 33mph in a 30mph zone, Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales and head of road policing at the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said.

Cameras are now triggered only at 35mph, but Mr Brunstrom said that forces were under pressure from road safety groups “to enforce closer to the limit”. The 35mph threshold was chosen for the margin of error in the equipment. Acpo is conducting a review, to be completed within six months, which he expected would approve a lower cutoff.

Every mile per hour above 30mph added to the risk of death or serious injury in a collision, the chief constable said. He hoped that the threshold could be lowered to 33mph during 2004.

The 40mph limit, currently enforced at 46mph, would also be reduced, possibly to 43mph. “We can reduce the margin of error in the machines and also reduce the human error factor,” he said.

Mr Brunstrom said that he also wanted to see cameras placed on roads where there was no history of crashes. At present cameras can only be introduced on a road where there have been more than four deaths or serious injuries in the previous three years. Mr Brunstrom told the Commons Transport Select Committee: “The guidelines are going to have to be loosened. As we eliminate crash hotspots we are going to have to look elsewhere to reduce casualties.”

Speaking outside the committee, Mr Brunstrom said that the number of camera fines this year would exceed two million. He admitted that public support for cameras had declined slightly, although he said that 75 per cent were still in favour.

Mr Brunstrom said that all forces should have the option of allowing a driver to attend a road safety course rather than receive three points for a speeding offence. At present only a handful of forces offer such courses and there is no national policy.

Mr Brunstrom also announced trials of roadside fingerprinting next summer.

Police will be able to check the identities of people they stop for motoring offences and cross reference with the National Criminal Database. Several studies have shown that people who commit motoring offences are more likely than others to be involved in other illegal activity.

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