AA publishes its first-ever map of speed cameras

Safety experts say motorists will be encouraged to break the law by a new atlas that identifies where the traps are set.

By Steve Bloomfield
26 June 2005

A controversial decision by the AA to publish its first map of speed traps has provoked a storm of protest from safety experts, who accuse the organisation of encouraging motorists to break the law.

Thousands of camera locations are included in the association's 2006 Road Atlas, published on Wednesday, a move prompted by the huge proliferation of speed traps.

But while the map will please many motorists, it has enraged leading campaign groups including Transport 2000, which branded the AA "irresponsible" for publishing it.

Deaths and serious injuries have been reduced by 40 per cent at sites where speed cameras are in operation. But the cameras have been a source of angry debate since they were introduced on a widespread basis.

Motoring organisations such as the RAC Foundation have accused the police of using the cameras to generate revenue rather than to prevent accidents.

The rising number of speed traps has led to a booming industry in speed camera detectors, gadgets that can help drivers avoid getting caught. Motorists, including Prince William, are paying hundreds of pounds for systems that sound an alarm when a laser-operated camera is nearby. Many of these will become illegal when the new Road Traffic Act becomes law.

RoadPeace, the national charity for road traffic victims, said the decision by the AA to inform drivers where speed cameras are would make the roads more dangerous. Zoe Stow, who chairs RoadPeace, said: "We are very disappointed that a road organisation that represents so many motorists should be providing a tool to the non-law-abiding motorist to break the law."

Nicola Atkinson, a spokeswoman for the AA, denied that the motoring organisation was behaving irresponsibly. "We are launching the atlas in order to alert people to dangers on the road," she said. "Cameras are located where there have been serious or fatal crashes in the past four years. We are making drivers more aware of where the accident hot spots are."

She added: "We are not encouraging people to speed. Motorists should drive within the speed limit and avoid hot spots on their journey."

The AA has received backing for the atlas from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. A spokesman for the organisation said: "If people do consult the atlas, they will know that it is a dangerous road and hopefully they will drive accordingly."