New figures underscore the

cost of speed cameras, as the level of cynicism among drivers is

confirmed, with many motorists increasingly viewing the roadside yellow

boxes as little more than revenue-raising devices.

Speed cameras are costing motorists in England and Wales up to £150

million a year through the combined cost of fines and increased car

insurance premiums. Research commissioned by Swift Cover car insurance

revealed that drivers are paying out in excess of £114 million a year

in fines. Added to this is the increased premium charged by many

insurers following a speeding conviction, estimated at £36 million a

year, and drivers are paying out £150 million to compensate for their

speeding lapses.

In total it was found that 2.2 million drivers are convicted for

speeding every year, almost half of these having been caught by

roadside cameras. Many experts credit the escalating number of speed

cameras with the corresponding rise in speeding convictions, with

speeding fines up 328 per cent over the past decade, which has also

seen the UK's speed camera network swell to 6,000.

Unsurprisingly given this cost, speed cameras do not rank highly among

a list of drivers favourite things. Around two-thirds of those

surveyed thought speed cameras were "mainly" installed to raise

revenue, with just 13 per cent agreeing that they are the best way to

encourage safe driving.

In fact, many argue that speed cameras actually encourage unsafe

driving, with Swift Cover claiming that they have encouraged a trend

for 'yo-yo driving', whereby drivers speed up between cameras and then

slam their breaks on at the last minute to avoid a fine. Indeed,

almost six in ten of those surveyed admitted to driving in such a

manner, with a further 54 per cent blaming them for encouraging erratic

driving.

The majority of those questioned said that speed cameras were a

distraction on the road, increasing their chances of an accident rather

than encouraging safer driving, with over seven in ten admitted to

paying more attention to speed cameras and their speedometer than

potential hazards. In contrast, many drivers argued that they would

actually be safer if allowed to continue speeding, with seven in ten of

those convicted for speeding claiming that they had been driving safely

for the conditions of the road at the time.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said that

he was not surprised by the findings, having been warning for years

that speed cameras make the roads more dangerous.

He also said that the latest figures undermine the government's

argument that speed cameras have public backing, describing their

claims as "misleading".

"The government claims that 80% (or so) of people support speed

cameras. This survey (conducted under proper conditions by a reputable

professional polling company) proves, once again, that government

figures are highly misleading," he said.

"Please listen, Mr Darling and Dr Ladyman; We don't want your cameras.

We don't believe they make us safer. We don't have any faith in your

road safety policies. Bite the bullet, admit that speed cameras don't

work, and let's get back to real road safety policies. Your infernal

cameras are killing us indirectly, because, at best, they replace

genuine life-saving road

safety policies," he pleaded.