Sheffield Speed Camera - Not a money maker

[Mr_Squirrel]

A police chief has defended the use of a controversial Sheffield speed camera which caught 15,000 motorists in three years.

 

Story here

Drivers have questioned whether the camera on the A57 Sheffield Parkway was needed and if it was a ‘money-making scheme’ after new figures showed it had snapped the ninth-highest number of motorists of any camera in the country.

 

I am no fan of speed cameras but i dont think that the complaints about this one can be justified.

It has been there for 20 odd years, it is not hidden and is well noticeable with warning signs along the route. The speed limit is very clear with huge signs at each side of the road and painted onto the road surface.

 

Is this just 15,000 stupid or blind motorists getting prosecuted or do they have valid reasons for their complaint?

[Cyclone]

I don't think they have many grounds for complaint myself, like you say, it's not exactl hidden.

 

On the other hand, was it sited in an accident black spot?

[cgksheff]

30,000 vehicles per day and 15 get caught.

[Mr_Squirrel]

I don't think they have many grounds for complaint myself, like you say, it's not exactl hidden.

 

On the other hand, was it sited in an accident black spot?

 

From the article.

But Chief Inspector Stuart Walne, head of roads policing for South Yorkshire Police,said there were collisions in the area as people changed between lanes and came in at speed – although he said there had been no recent fatalities there

[Ousetunes]

Is it a 'cash cow'?

 

Yes.

 

But only because there is an endless stream of foolish motorists willing to feed it.

[geared]

I wonder if it's one of those cases where money could have better been spent improving the junction, rather than putting a speed camera in as it was somewhere accidents occurred.

[Gravydownshi]

What annoys me most whilst driving down the Parkway at the speed limit of 50 MPH is being passed by obviously speeding motorists and watching them timidly slow down to 40 immediately before the camera.

No doubt continuing to break the limits again when out of range.

There should be average speed checks to combat this..I reckon, or place yellow boxes (empty or not) every 100 yards and let motorists try and second guess which of them have working cameras in them.

[erebus]

Its easy money, and why not criminalise people, helps the insurance industry keep profits high, which feeds back to backing politicians, either local or not.

 

Sheffield has a lot to learn from Nottingham, where cameras almost check for indecent goings on. They are the future.

[Mr_Squirrel]

I wonder if it's one of those cases where money could have better been spent improving the junction, rather than putting a speed camera in as it was somewhere accidents occurred.

 

Possibly... The traffic signals by Derek Dooley way are pretty obscured by the bend and contour of the road, however, you can see them well before the speed camera, 200 yards or so before the junction.

How fast do you have to be going in order to be unable to react in time? You can see pretty much what the traffic situation is like by the camera site by around where Matalan is.

[andyofborg]

Its easy money, and why not criminalise people, helps the insurance industry keep profits high, which feeds back to backing politicians, either local or not.

 

no one forces people to speed.

 

it's only easy money because people choose to ignore the speed limit,

 

if you dont want to pay the fine don't do the crime