Police Scotland has deactivated more than 100 roadside speed cameras, a decision that officials acknowledge could lead to an increase in individuals exceeding speed limits. The move was undertaken as part of an effort to determine the actual impact of these cameras on road safety.
Documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal that police concluded deactivating the cameras was the only method to assess their effectiveness. This initiative followed a Scottish Mail on Sunday report from March that highlighted the deactivation of over 100 cameras, even in areas experiencing a rise in speeding offenses.
The Scottish Government had previously stated that the deactivated camera sites had recorded no speed-related injury collisions and consistent compliance with speed limits for several years. However, the obtained figures indicated an increase in speeding incidents at multiple camera locations after their deactivation. Notably, one camera recorded more speeding drivers in the month before it was switched off than in the entire preceding year.
In an assessment of a camera on A89 Coatbridge Road at Bargeddie, North Lanarkshire, police noted that speeds were "very likely" to increase if the camera was turned off. This camera, installed in 1993 following a fatal accident near a school, was initially deactivated in 2018 but had to be reactivated a year later. Despite the expectation of increased speeds and potential objections from local residents, police recommended deactivation again as the "only way to assess if collisions would occur if the camera was to be removed."
Another camera site on Kingston Road in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, was also switched off, drawing "major reservations" from the local council. This road is used daily by approximately 550 children attending Neilston Primary School and Madras Nursery. The local community council expressed "serious concerns" for the safety of these children, particularly with heavy goods vehicles frequenting the road en route to a nearby quarry. Police reports acknowledged these concerns and alleged speeding incidents but concluded that deactivation was still "prudent."
Ruth Billingham, head of campaigns and public affairs for the pedestrian charity Living Streets, expressed puzzlement at the decision, stating that high speeds contribute to nearly one in five fatal collisions annually in Scotland and that speed cameras have been proven to reduce road incidents by up to 39 percent.
A spokesperson for the Police Scotland Safety Cameras Unit stated that the selection of camera sites is "evidence led and data driven," focusing on locations with the highest rates of serious collisions and casualties to ensure cameras are used effectively.