Just got this response by e-mail. One day into Gordon Brown's leadership. Different style of government eh? There's not even a nod to investigating the questions being asked.
Scrapcam - epetition reply28 June 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to scrap speed cameras."
Details of Petition:
"After 15 years of speed cameras on British roads, neither road deaths nor hospitalisations have fallen as expected. Drivers know as if by instinct that speed cameras are the wrong road safety policy. The extensive research and analysis conducted by the Safe Speed road safety campaign confirms that drivers have been right all along. Far from making our roads safer, speed cameras have replaced genuine life saving policies and distracted everyone from more important safety factors. Instead... - We must have road safety policies based on skills, attitudes and responsibilities - We must have effective roads policing especially to deal with 'rogue drivers' - We must avoid needlessly prosecuting skilled and responsible drivers driving safely - We must measure what is important, not make important that which is easily measured - and you can't measure safe driving in miles per hour."
Read the petition
Petitions home page
Read the Government's responseThank you for taking the time to register your views about safety cameras on the Number 10 website.
Speeding kills. It is a contributory factor in 26% of all fatal accidents in Great Britain.
The facts are stark. If a child pedestrian is hit at 30mph they stand an 80% chance of surviving. But if they are hit at 40mph they stand an 80% chance of dying. That is why the Government is committed to achieving appropriate vehicle speeds on the roads as part of its integrated road safety strategy.
We are succeeding in changing attitudes, and in making drivers realise that one of their responsibilities is to comply with speed limits. The proportion of car drivers who comply with the 30mph limit has greatly increased over the last few years.
Safety cameras provide a valuable and cost-effective method of preventing, detecting and enforcing speed and traffic light offences. Their use is based on solid evidence. All reliable research from around the world clearly demonstrates that cameras reduce speeds and save lives.
Independent research (new window), published in December 2005, shows that safety cameras had saved around 1,745 people from being killed or seriously injured, and had prevented around 4,230 personal injury collisions on Britain's roads each year.
And while they are saving lives, safety cameras will remain a key part of our road safety strategy.
Short of shutting your finger in the door I can't see how else a car is dangerous 
