More than half of Walsall’s speed cameras are out of action, the Express & Star can reveal today.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show motorists paid up to £500,000 in fines over just one year, after being caught in speed traps.
Of 51 speed camera locations in Walsall, 29 were not active at all in the 2007/2008 financial year. However, drivers still were still flashed 8,855 times over the same period.
The standard fixed penalty for speeding is £60, although a police spokesman said a number of activations may have been emergency vehicles, which are exempt.
Police would not reveal which cameras around Walsall were active.
“This is not the same as revenue raised as some of these activations may have been emergency vehicles, which were exempted, and the amount recovered may vary between other activations,” he said.
“To provide detail of how many activations were from each location would reveal detail of which of those cameras are live, or which are merely the camera housing, at any one time.”
One speed camera had 1,214 activations in 2007/8, while another flashed seven times. Councillor Anthony Harris, Walsall Council transport boss, today said he was continuing his war on “cash cow” speed cameras.
Two cameras were removed in Chester Road, Aldridge. Another eight will go if they are found to be have no effect on accidents.
They include A454 Mellish Road; A461 Lichfield Road; Sneyd Lane, Bloxwich; A454 Walsall Road; two cameras in Pelsall Road; A454 Black Country Route; and Haden Road.
13 Comments
Good, I wish it was the same in Wolverhampton.
Forget the £60 fine how about getting rid of the PATHETIC 3 points!!! How fair is it that you lose your licence for 4 of these offenses over a 4 year period?? I say 1 point per flash, it’s so so easy to go through a 30 at 33 or 34 and get flashed. I don’t care about the money- the points are the problem.
Furthermore Insurers rob our wallets every year for FIVE YEARS if we go through a camera. they should be the law breakers- it’s robbery. Why when the DVLA wipes our licenses clean are insurers allowed to penalise us! Needs reviewing now!
(Im not referring to idiotic speed demons here- just the other 99% of the population who unfairly get fined/penalised)
Lets all get flashed 4 times this weekend and see how the government copes with nobody being able to get to work for 12 months…
I bet the lunatic drivers will be happy.
No: 2/3, If you drive within the speed limit you will see that it’s more than 1% that speed past you,try it and see.
How about using false plates?! That way it means criminals dont get caught and never fined or penalised.
Thus guaranteeing the only people paying up and getting banned are the honest public!
GENIUS!
I’m not sure why this is really a story. I’d rather the camera’s didn’t work anyway! I thought it was common knowledge since the first time cameras started to appear that they all didn’t have the actual camera in them as they get moved around into different units. So just because there isn’t one there today doesn’t mean there wont be next week!
I don’t like them but hey theres a simple answer to the problem DON’T SPEED!
What a load of rubbish as 7 says grow up and dont speeeeed then . Why do you feel you should be able to get a life i say
too many people speed these days, shame we need to rely on speed cams to catch speeders in the first place.
Although I disagree with the revenue side of things, I really can’t believe so many people grumble when they get caught. They are bright yellow, reflect lights at night, and stand out a mile away if you are paying attention to the road. If you get caught because you’ve not seen one, whose fault is that. The moment you sit in that car, you are in control of it, and no-one else.
In Anglesey the police hide in horse carriages and builders trucks . Where is the fair play in that. They actually hide on the slip roads so you can’t see them to you pass.
Wayne-What has fair play got to do with speeding?
Thats the point of the police hiding to catch speeders. Have you ever noticed how cars always slow down when there’s a copper behind them ? If you don’t speed you ain’t got mowt to worry about when you pass a copper in hiding!
wayne dont speed then . and you wont get caught.
If they hide or not if you are not speeding you wont get caught will you . use your small brain .