More cameras, more efficient revenue stream
23 April 2005, 10:23 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
More cameras, more efficient revenue stream
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...ing%20Standard
Secret speed cameras plan
By Andrew Gilligan And David Williams, Evening Standard
22 April 2005
Transport for London chiefs have put forward controversial plans to increase the number of speed cameras by up to 37 per cent this year.
Secret papers, leaked to the Evening Standard, make clear that one of the purposes of the move to add up to 180 new fixed camera sites is to "produce a steady daily flow of offences".
The thresholds at which the cameras catch drivers are adjusted to ensure the number of offences collected is kept to "a pre-determined daily level", the documents say.
TfL said today the plans have been refused by the Department-for Transport, which has agreed to 66 new fixed sites this year.
But a TfL spokesman made clear that the rejected sites were "still on our list to come in the future" and would be resubmitted later.
There are 480 fixed speed camera sites in London. The plans obtained by the Standard call for "at least 120" extra sites and reveal that even this ambitious programme "could be accelerated" to 180 extra sites if plans to "outsource" back-office functions go ahead.
The TfL spokesman admitted the wording of the leaked documents was "unfortunate".
He said: "The idea of producing a steady flow of offences is to make sure back-room staff do not get overwhelmed and can deal with the flow.
These proposals are about reducing the number of accidents, not increasing revenue."
The plans have caused a major row between TfL and the Metropolitan Police, the main players in the "safety camera partnership" which runs London's traffic cameras.
Top officers in the Met, worried that the cameras are damaging-their relationship with the public, helped block the plans. "There is a wrestle for power within the partnership," said one police source. "We as a police service have always tried to strike a balance between achieving reductions in speeding and accidents and at the same time not alienating the whole community."
The plans show the cameras are projected to make a " surplus", or profit, of £719,650 in the current financial year.
This could rise if the number of drivers paying their fines could be increased above the current 40 per cent. TfL wants to outsource the Met's "inefficient"-offence-processing to Essex Police to increase the rate - another move furiously resisted by Scotland Yard.
Jenny Jones, the Mayor's road safety czar, said police opposition to more cameras was putting lives at risk. "They are putting politics ahead of the importance of the lives of Londoners," she said, adding that 40 deaths and injuries a year could be prevented if the full plans went ahead.
The Met blamed its difficulties in collecting speed fines on a recruitment freeze imposed by the Government.
Secret speed cameras plan
By Andrew Gilligan And David Williams, Evening Standard
22 April 2005
Transport for London chiefs have put forward controversial plans to increase the number of speed cameras by up to 37 per cent this year.
Secret papers, leaked to the Evening Standard, make clear that one of the purposes of the move to add up to 180 new fixed camera sites is to "produce a steady daily flow of offences".
The thresholds at which the cameras catch drivers are adjusted to ensure the number of offences collected is kept to "a pre-determined daily level", the documents say.
TfL said today the plans have been refused by the Department-for Transport, which has agreed to 66 new fixed sites this year.
But a TfL spokesman made clear that the rejected sites were "still on our list to come in the future" and would be resubmitted later.
There are 480 fixed speed camera sites in London. The plans obtained by the Standard call for "at least 120" extra sites and reveal that even this ambitious programme "could be accelerated" to 180 extra sites if plans to "outsource" back-office functions go ahead.
The TfL spokesman admitted the wording of the leaked documents was "unfortunate".
He said: "The idea of producing a steady flow of offences is to make sure back-room staff do not get overwhelmed and can deal with the flow.
These proposals are about reducing the number of accidents, not increasing revenue."
The plans have caused a major row between TfL and the Metropolitan Police, the main players in the "safety camera partnership" which runs London's traffic cameras.
Top officers in the Met, worried that the cameras are damaging-their relationship with the public, helped block the plans. "There is a wrestle for power within the partnership," said one police source. "We as a police service have always tried to strike a balance between achieving reductions in speeding and accidents and at the same time not alienating the whole community."
The plans show the cameras are projected to make a " surplus", or profit, of £719,650 in the current financial year.
This could rise if the number of drivers paying their fines could be increased above the current 40 per cent. TfL wants to outsource the Met's "inefficient"-offence-processing to Essex Police to increase the rate - another move furiously resisted by Scotland Yard.
Jenny Jones, the Mayor's road safety czar, said police opposition to more cameras was putting lives at risk. "They are putting politics ahead of the importance of the lives of Londoners," she said, adding that 40 deaths and injuries a year could be prevented if the full plans went ahead.
The Met blamed its difficulties in collecting speed fines on a recruitment freeze imposed by the Government.
24 April 2005, 12:49 AM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This ties in with what I have been told by people working in the highways departments of some London boroughs. That TFL are trying to use speed cameras as part of the orchestrated plan to make driving in London so unpleasant that people are forced out of their cars on to buses.
The roll out of the Yellow box offences being enforced off of CCTV systems is also causing problems with motorists where junctions are set up to favour one road the camera's will catch any body in the box junction so you have a choice of never getting across the junction or getting a ticket
I thought that the Met Commissioner went on record last year saying they didn’t need any more fixed camera's and he was going to reduce mobile traps as they were counterproductive? But up in Enfield they are springing up like mad?
Outsourcing is obviously on its way as somebody did a leak to the media last week about only prosecuting 40% it was on the evening news this sort of thing always leads a clamp down. I have seen it time and again where they want to introduce more camera’s they leak to a sympathetic TV station about how many lives it will save if they put up more camera's and a few weeks after the story they announce a new policy in response to media pressure!
There was a story in a Kent based paper about TFL approaching a south London borough to install 18 camera’s I assume the council would get some sort of financial kick back for this. Anyway the shocking part of the story was that the council said NO. Maybe the cash incentive offered to them wasn’t big enough to grease the palms or may be they actually have enough sense to see camera’s do nothing but raise money and alienate people.
Every day the right to freedom of movement is being whittled away when will people see this and actually do some thing
The roll out of the Yellow box offences being enforced off of CCTV systems is also causing problems with motorists where junctions are set up to favour one road the camera's will catch any body in the box junction so you have a choice of never getting across the junction or getting a ticket
I thought that the Met Commissioner went on record last year saying they didn’t need any more fixed camera's and he was going to reduce mobile traps as they were counterproductive? But up in Enfield they are springing up like mad?
Outsourcing is obviously on its way as somebody did a leak to the media last week about only prosecuting 40% it was on the evening news this sort of thing always leads a clamp down. I have seen it time and again where they want to introduce more camera’s they leak to a sympathetic TV station about how many lives it will save if they put up more camera's and a few weeks after the story they announce a new policy in response to media pressure!
There was a story in a Kent based paper about TFL approaching a south London borough to install 18 camera’s I assume the council would get some sort of financial kick back for this. Anyway the shocking part of the story was that the council said NO. Maybe the cash incentive offered to them wasn’t big enough to grease the palms or may be they actually have enough sense to see camera’s do nothing but raise money and alienate people.
Every day the right to freedom of movement is being whittled away when will people see this and actually do some thing
24 April 2005, 01:53 AM
#3
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'Every day the right to freedom of movement is being whittled away when will people see this and actually do some thing'
Ive been saying that for years mate and if you watch the news (controlled news) + read from the free press online you can see it progressing and its very scarey, not just the speed camera episode but in all areas of totalitarian control.
We have a very big community here and if we all and i mean ALL of us stood up under various organisation we could have such a voice that the government would have no choice but to listen, but are we doing anything? I think not... Theres a recent M4 camera protest next sat and theres not alot of people from scoobynet in support yet when the non-supporters get a ticket i bet they will be the first to stand up and moan.
Ive been saying that for years mate and if you watch the news (controlled news) + read from the free press online you can see it progressing and its very scarey, not just the speed camera episode but in all areas of totalitarian control.
We have a very big community here and if we all and i mean ALL of us stood up under various organisation we could have such a voice that the government would have no choice but to listen, but are we doing anything? I think not... Theres a recent M4 camera protest next sat and theres not alot of people from scoobynet in support yet when the non-supporters get a ticket i bet they will be the first to stand up and moan.
24 April 2005, 08:29 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Potters Bar
Posts: 2,924
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is getting beyond a joke now. This **** government we have at the moment seems to forget the ownership of a car is something people aspire to and from some people owning a certain car is a goal that drives them to work hard and be a productive member of society.
Public transport is a mess but we should be lured onto it not forced. I thought this government was all about choice, maybe I was wrong !
Seems to me the sooner we get rid of Blair and his big brother policies the better.
Whilst I donlt condone speeding we all do it and I have no problem with strongly enforces 20mph speed limits around schools.
Having had a very serious accident I was lucky to survive its staggers me they use the debate of safety and yet on a peice of road where 26 accidents and 3 fatalites occured in 3 days they have not resurfaced the road or put up any warnings. This latest report shows its all about the money and nothing to do with trying to safeguard a single life.
This is the kind of stuff that makes motorists angry.
Allan
Public transport is a mess but we should be lured onto it not forced. I thought this government was all about choice, maybe I was wrong !
Seems to me the sooner we get rid of Blair and his big brother policies the better.
Whilst I donlt condone speeding we all do it and I have no problem with strongly enforces 20mph speed limits around schools.
Having had a very serious accident I was lucky to survive its staggers me they use the debate of safety and yet on a peice of road where 26 accidents and 3 fatalites occured in 3 days they have not resurfaced the road or put up any warnings. This latest report shows its all about the money and nothing to do with trying to safeguard a single life.
This is the kind of stuff that makes motorists angry.
Allan
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Sub-Subaru
General Technical
1
28 September 2015 12:47 PM