Drivers in Oxfordshire could face double the current number of speed cameras under Government plans for councils to keep funds from fixed penalty fines.

New Treasury rules will allow some cash raised from speeding fines to pay for more cameras and camera sites on Oxfordshire's roads.

In the past, Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council complained because all the proceeds of fixed penalty fines went directly to the Treasury.

Supt Norman Bartlett, of Thames Valley Police, said: "This is a significant development because it will allow us to buy more cameras.

"If the revenue is made available and there is thought to be a need for new strategic camera sites, then we will support doubling the number."

He said cameras had cut the number of accidents. "That is because during the past ten years cameras have proved extremely effective in casualty reduction."

The police and council made an initial investment of more than £500,000 to pay for 16 cameras to be moved around 200 locations in the county.

In 1997, almost 50,000 motorists were trapped by speed cameras in the Thames Valley and fines totalling £1.9m went to the Treasury.

The Home Office is now drawing up guidelines for exactly how the new system will work, before the regulations become law.

A Treasury spokesman said: "We are now awaiting recommendations from the Home Office."

Oxfordshire County Council's chief engineer Richard Dix added: "We welcome any change which means we will be able to get more income to put up more speed cameras.

"This will not result in blanket speed camera coverage of the region's roads. Cameras will only be put up where both the police and council agree it will lead to accident reduction." Wantage MP Robert Jackson, who has been caught himself by speed cameras, welcomed the change in policy from the Treasury as "very good news."

He said: "I know that some people think there is something sneaky about speed cameras and that the increasingly widespread employment of this kind of technology in law enforcement is a threat to privacy.

"However, there is clear evidence that the cameras cut accidents and injuries."

In four years, accidents at camera sites have fallen by 36 per cent, casualties by 31 per cent and serious and fatal accidents by 23 per cent.

Supt Bartlett added that during the past year, there were 11,632 road accident casualties, of which 895 were serious and 148 fatalities.

He said: "With speed being a contributory factor to these figures, any extra resources we receive could be used to help bring these figures down even further."

Story date: Friday 12 February

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