HC Deb 21 October 2003 vol 411 cc503-4
13. Paul Flynn (Newport, West)

What changes have been recorded in the number of fatal accidents on roads where speed cameras have been deployed in the past two years. [132972]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Tony McNulty)

The two-year trial of the cost recovery system for speed and red light cameras found a 35 per cent. reduction in killed or seriously injured casualties at camera sites, equating to around 280 people.

Paul Flynn

The answer to a previous question that I put to the Department suggested that the number of lives saved could be up to 500 a year. That is the answer to those websites and other irresponsible organs that advocate the vandalising of speed cameras. Should it not be made clear to those people that their actions in destroying speed cameras are leading to the deaths of hundreds of fellow road users?

Mr. McNulty

I entirely endorse what my hon. Friend says. More than 1,000 people are killed on our roads each year as a result of excessive and inappropriate speed. Cameras are highly effective in addressing excessive speed and those who would vandalise them are to be truly and utterly condemned.

Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)

Overall, this country has a fairly good record on road accidents, although, of course, we must not be complacent. One area in which we have a particularly bad record is child deaths. Have the Government any plans to act on the advice from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents about the changing of the clocks in this country? ROSPA has said that if we did not put the clocks forward, there would be a substantial reduction in the number of child deaths. Will the Government consider that?

Mr. McNulty

The hon. Gentleman will know that, whatever else I have responsibility for in the Department for Transport, I am not responsible for clocks and time, but I will ensure that the ROSPA report is taken on board with all due seriousness, as it should be. Colleagues in Scotland and elsewhere may disagree with him, but his point about child deaths on our roads is well made. That problem is another reason why the entire House should condemn those who try capriciously to remove speed cameras for whatever purpose.