Eighty-two per cent of people now think it is acceptable for authorities to use speed cameras, however 45 per cent think that raising income is still a main reason for their use, according to the results of the IAM’s annual speed camera survey.
 
Speed awareness courses are also popular – 72 per cent of people think that speed awareness courses are a good idea.
 
The results show that people think speed cameras are beneficial to road safety. Eighty-five per cent of people think that speed cameras have helped to contribute to the fall in road deaths since 1990s.
 
The results for the home nations vary:
 • Speed cameras are least popular in Wales where 32 per cent of people think their use is not acceptable.  The survey also shows that Wales has the highest rate of people caught speeding – In the last three years 27 per cent of people were caught speeding or knew someone in the household who was caught speeding.
 • In contrast, cameras are most popular in Scotland where only 15 per cent think they are unacceptable. Only 14 per cent of Scottish were caught speeding or knew someone in the household who was.
 • In England, 19 per cent of people were convicted or knew someone in their household who was caught speeding in the last three years. 20 per cent think their use is not acceptable.
 
Generally, people find that speed cameras are more acceptable than five years ago. In 2007, 30 per cent of respondents said speed cameras were not acceptable, a figure which has reduced every year to 16 per cent this year.
 
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Simply catching and fining drivers does not change drivers’ awareness of the hazards of excessive speed. The popularity of speed awareness courses show that the public think training is the best option.
 
“Speed cameras are an essential part of the policing toolkit and are becoming more and more accepted, but it’s clear that some people need reassuring about their purpose and funding.”

www.iam.org.uk