Speed cameras: only for the money

From the Express.co.uk website we learn:

THE first town to switch off its speed cameras is celebrating the decision after accident rates and fines plummeted.

There have been no deaths on Swindon’s roads since the fixed cameras were turned off in August last year.

In the past 12 months, the town has had just two serious accidents and 14 slight accidents.

This is compared to one death, five serious and 15 minor crashes the year before. The council raked in £80,000 less than the previous year, issuing 1,341 fewer speeding tickets.

So speed cameras don't improve road safety but do bring in money. Well this explains why councils love them so much.

It could all be just part of normal statistical variation, of course, but still an interesting result which would be good to see tested in other areas.