Department for Transport must update criteria for speed camera use

Oldham Council’s Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has called again on the Department for Transport (DfT) to change its criteria for new speed cameras.

Councillor Sykes said, “All of the evidence shows us that speed cameras reduce fatalities and injuries.  One death on our roads is one too many.  Yet in 2022, 64 people were killed on Greater Manchester’s roads.  But outdated rules and regulations are getting in the way of the consideration of using cameras to combat speeding.”

Local councils, Greater Manchester Police and the Highways Agency can only deploy resources like speed cameras when they follow strict and now out of date guidance set out by the Department for Transport.

Currently, the DfT requires “at least two collisions resulting in people killed or seriously injured” within a three-year period before a new speed camera can be even considered.

Councillor Sykes said, “It’s completely unacceptable that the current system requires such a grave human cost before action can be taken.  This is not prevention.  We need a complete change in the way we calculate and respond to risk on our roads.”  

Councillor Sykes raised the issue recently at Greater Manchester’s ‘Bee Network’ transport committee, who agreed with his concerns.  It has now written to the Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper MP calling for the ‘two deaths rule’ to be changed. 

Sykes, who represents the Liberal Democrats on the committee, said, “In Oldham and across Greater Manchester, we want zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads.  But these morbid and outdated rules need to change for us to achieve that.  I hope the Secretary of State will act without delay.”