Oxfordshire council to switch off fixed speed cameras

Oxfordshire County will save £600,000 by switching off its speed cameras

Oxfordshire County Council has voted to switch off all its speed cameras because they're too expensive to run.

More than 70 are being ditched because of funding cuts and it's thought other parts of England and Wales may soon do the same.

The new government says it wants to "end the war on the motorist", but road safety campaigners claim getting rid of cameras would be a "disaster".

Councillors in Oxfordshire met on Tuesday afternoon (27 July) to confirm the switch off although the boxes the cameras are housed in will stay in place as a deterrent.

Brett, who's 19 and lives in Oxfordshire, says he's never been caught out by one.

He told Newsbeat: "It's a good decision get rid of them all. The less the better.

"I know where they all are around where I live.

"They don't stop you going fast for a long period of time, they only stop you for five seconds or so."

Caught on camera

Oxfordshire County Council is cutting its funding to the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership by £600,000 and is trying to save £11 million overall.

It means all the authority's 72 fixed speed cameras could be switched off as soon as this Sunday, 1 August.

They raised £1 million in revenue last year.

Ollie, 21, is banned from driving.

He said: "I lost my driving licence because I was driving too fast and I think speed cameras work.

"If there's a camera there you will stick to the speed limit, otherwise you know you'll get points on your licence.

"I think it's a bit silly getting rid of them but they need to put them in better places."

Swindon Council switched off all its fixed speed cameras last year but local Conservative councillors claim there hasn't been any change in its accident rate.