Berkshire Council Denies Plans to Cut its Speed Cameras

Source BBC, 21st August 2010

A Berkshire council has denied it is to cut the number of speed cameras after a £51,000 government grant was cut. Bracknell Forest Council said it would "continue to support the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership and will not be withdrawing council funding from it".

Its comments come after Brake road safety group told BBC Newsnight that the council had confirmed safety camera teams' work would be cut. The Newsnight programme featured Brake's research which involved it approaching 118 councils that receive the government's road safety grant. The road safety group said it received responses from 42 local authorities and claimed Bracknell Forest was among those considering reducing the number of speed cameras.

Bracknell Forest's director of environment culture and communities, Vincent Paliczka, said: "Bracknell Forest Council has agreed that the £51,000 reduction of government grant can be absorbed within the partnership's reserve budget for this year. Other than this, the council will continue to support the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership and will not be withdrawing council funding from it. Bracknell Forest Council remains committed to the partnership and its activities to support road safety initiatives within the borough will remain unaffected."