Speeding is now the most common offence on the UK’s roads, according to government figures. In recent years it has made up more than one third of all driving offences dealt with by police in England and Wales.
Part of the reason for this could be that the UK is the speed-camera capital of Europe, according to recent figures given to MPs. Numbers have risen from 1,935 in 2000 to just over 5,500 this year (DfT (UK)).

In last week’s edition of BeyondtheKM.com, we covered the sordid story of a Mini/BMW executive who was recently given a stiff sentence by the British courts for driving 100+MPH (162.5 KM/hour) in a 50 zone. We cover the topic of speeding in Britain a little more in depth here at BTKM!

Recently released figures reveal that in 2004 there were 13.5 million motoring offenses – that’s about 1 for every 2 cars in the country. Of these there were 11 million fixed penalty notices, which includes just over 2 million issued from speed cameras.
The increase in speed camera tickets is 6% higher than in 2003 and double that from 2001 raking in £130 million in fines during 2004.
These numbers are likely to increase as 233 new camera sites have been approved for 2006-2007 (31st March 2006 Daily Mail).

The Department for Transport is to publish a consultation before Christmas [2007] on doubling the number of points given to speeding drivers, according to a report in The Times. Under the proposals drivers caught doing 45mph or more in a 30mph limit are likely to face six points and a £100 fine, up from the current three points and £60 fine.
The Government is also reconsidering its earlier proposal to lower the number of points for drivers caught just over the limit. The UK organization BRAKE argues that the proposed fine of £100 for a higher level speeding offence is low compared to fines for relatively minor offences, such as dropping litter, which are often much higher. Brake is urging the Government to set this fixed penalty fine at a minimum of £1,000, to provide a real deterrent to speeding Link to Times article.

Though BTKM would like to note that there is little comparison between driving and littering. If BRAKE is so sure that increased fines will lower speeding, perhaps they would like to explain the skyrocketing number of speed fines handed out since speed cameras were introduced. It’s also worth noting that speeding is an offense that is simply “for the sake of an offense” as malice, intent, or actual damage need not be proven to trigger a ticket.

Is an 80mph Motorway the answer?

The speed limit on motorways should be raised to 80mph a report commissioned by the Highways Agency concluded. The higher limit is to help the road network function more efficiently – the target speed is 78mph enabling quicker journeys without jeopardising safety.
The report examined economic benefits of travelling at speeds of between 30 and 100mph taking into account driving time, fuel and accidents. Similar calculations revealed that 71mph was the most beneficial speed for dual carriageways while 54mph was the ideal for single carriageways – lower than the current 60mph limit.
The report from the TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) said: “At these targets, the network would operate in a balanced, safe, reliable and economic way to benefit society and users.” A Department for Transport spokesman said “There are no current plans to change national speed limits but the department will look at the findings of the report.” (14th January 2007 Evening standard article

Keep in mind as well, that reducing the number of speed cameras actually stands to help the government treasury. If you’re wondering why the fines are so stiff, consider that cameras in the UK can cost up to £1,500,000 to install ($3,000,000). You could hire 3 patrolmen to monitor a post at £30,000 per year for 17 years for that cost! Further, they could assist in road accidents and prevent drunken driving incidents – something a camera could never do. (Daily Mail article)

Bottom line: When you look at the statistics, it is shocking to see the British nanny state spending a disproportionate amount of fiscal resources on speeding cameras. Speed cameras have resulted in more fines, taking more money out of the pockets of the citizens of the UK. The end result is the number of speeding fines has gone up, rather than acting as a deterrent. People will always make a decision for themselves in deciding which speed is safe for them. Some make poor judgments, but one the whole, people do a fair job policing themselves.

In addition, the speed limits themselves are based on 40+ year-old research. In that time cars have gotten faster, safer, and more agile. Drivers also face more distraction, but also have to face more stringent training and testing before given a license. Of course, everyone could use a refresher course now and again. Rather than making life for Britons and tourists worse, the government should consider a more libertarian approach of self-policing for the country’s drivers. It may yet take a revolution to see a reversal of these detrimental government policies.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 14th, 2007 at 1:29 am and is filed under Legal, pollution. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. This post was read by 9188 people until now. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.