BOROUGH OF POOLE
ALDERNEY, BRANKSOME EAST & WEST AND CANFORD CLIFFS AREA COMMITTEE
12 JANUARY 2004
REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
dorset safety camera partnership
1. Purpose of the Report
1.1 This report accompanies a presentation to be made to this Area Committee by the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership. The presentation will update the Committee on progress made during the first full year of operating the cost recovery arrangements and there will be an opportunity for Members and the public to raise questions afterwards.
1.2 Mr Pat Garrett, who is the Project Manager to the Partnership, was appointed in June 2002. His role is to co-ordinate the Partnership and manage the day to day operations and he will be giving the presentation this evening.
2. Background
2.1 The Council’s Transportation Strategy seeks to achieve a reduction in injury collisions on Poole’s roads by pursuing a co-ordinated package of measures, one element of which includes speed and red light camera enforcement. The Dorset Safety Camera Partnership was formed to seek powers from the Department for Transport (DfT) to recover camera fines to enable enhancement of current enforcement activity at zero net cost to this Authority.
2.2 In 2000 the Government set national targets to reduce fatal and serious injury accidents by 40% by 2010 and child casualties by 50% over the same period. National research has indicated that a reduction of speed of 1 mph can reduce casualties by up to 5%. Increased speed and red light camera enforcement is, therefore, a proven method of helping to achieve the strategic aims of reducing death and serious injuries on our roads, as well as reduce pressures on the emergency services and local hospitals.
2.3 To assist in meeting these casualty reduction targets, the Government reviewed the operational use of enforcement cameras, and approved procedures to recover, or “net off”, fines received, back into the operation and enhancement of the equipment. A number of pilot schemes were set up in 1999 around the country to evaluate these procedures. They were very successful in proving that reinvestment of fine revenue leads to a resultant marked reduction in road deaths or serious injuries. It should be stressed that the Camera Partnerships are focused on casualty reduction and not increasing revenue for the Police. At present cost recovery can only be made against camera enforcement and associated activity and not other road safety initiatives.
2.4 The process in Dorset began in January 2001 and a Steering Group was set up to progress the initiative in this area. The 8 partners include the Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset County Council, the Highways Agency, Dorset Police, Dorset & Somerset Strategic Health Authority, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Dorset Magistrates Courts. An operational group was set up to prepare and submit the annual operational case to the DfT.
2.5 The Dorset Safety Partnership was given approval in May 2002 by the DfT to recover fine revenue with effect from August 2002. As a result of the approval of the scheme the Partnership has been implementing the first stage in the campaign to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by introducing, as they become available, the resources needed to increase enforcement in those areas identified as speed or traffic light violation collision hotspots. Cameras are only permitted on roads with a proven road injury problem where there is a history of speed related collisions or red light jumping.
2.6 Although local surveys show the majority of people are in favour of safety cameras, it is recognised that there has been considerable opposition to additional safety cameras by sections of the driving public and certain motoring organisations, as they are perceived to be purely a method of victimising “law abiding drivers” and generating revenue for the Police. It should be noted, however, that the vast majority of letters and telephone complaints received by this Unit and the DSCP are from members of the public who are concerned about speeding on their roads and are concerned about the safety of their children and families and who are seeking additional enforcement to deal with the problem.
JIM BRIGHT
Head of Transportation Services