l IN regard to David Speke’s letter on 50mph speed limits (ViewPoints, October 11).
In 1997 when Labour came in, about 720,000 speeding tickets were issued and £25m revenue raised as a result of motorists being caught by a few speed cameras and police patrols.
Since 2011 the revenue raised by speeding tickets issued from more than 6,000 speed cameras is probably about £120m.
This is on top of the £50bn they legally remove from motorists’ pockets via vehicle excise duty, VAT on fuel, service, spares, insurance and parking.
According to Department of Transport data, four per cent of road traffic accidents (RTAs) are caused by exceeding the limit, which tends to destroy the Government’s claim that 33 per cent of RTA’s are speed related.
If four per cent of RTAs are speed related it seems logical that local councils and the Government should focus their attention on tackling the remaining 96 per cent of causes, rather than enforcement of posted speed limits.
If a majority of motorists perceive the posted speed limit on any road as unrealistic they will ignore it, which rather tends to negate the purpose of posting limits.
Speed limits should be based primarily on the 85th percentile speed, a speed at or below which 85 per cent of people drive at any given location under good weather and visibility conditions – and based on the theory the large majority of drivers are prudent, do not want an accident and are capable and experienced.
If police resources are now limited, let them tackle serious crimes rather than enforcing speed limits.
C. HEWETSON
The Ridings
Kidlington
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