The Sun praises Swindon Tories as accident rates don't change after scrapping speed cameras

The Sun reports:

"Speed cameras make no difference to road accident rates and are simply money-making machines, it was claimed last night. The first council in the country to ban Gatsos revealed it has seen little change since making the move in the summer. Chiefs in Swindon, Wilts, reckon the results have proved that the cameras didn't save lives - but were only there to make money. Swindon Borough Council leader Rod Bluh [pictured] said: "Figures vindicate the fact that cameras make no difference to fatal accidents or any accidents. We are confident we took the right action in getting rid of them."

The newspaper welcomes the change in its Sun Says column:

"Speed cameras are one of the worst examples of our oppressive Big Brother state. So congratulations to Swindon Council for being bold enough to scrap them. The predicted explosion in deaths did not happen. And hundreds of drivers have been spared the misery of a punitive fine for creeping over the limit. The Sun has always argued that Gatsos are a cheap, money-raising ruse to replace proper traffic policing - and have no effect on public safety. Swindon is well on the road to proving it."

Tim Montgomerie

> Initial ConservativeHome report on Swindon's decision.