A debate over the use of speed cameras has moved into high gear after a motoring organisation attempted to drive a wedge through police statistics.

Nick Arden, Essex region representative of the Association of British Drivers, claims evidence quoted by police that traffic cameras save lives is seriously flawed.

But Essex Police remain adamant that the traffic calming measure is effective in reducing the number of accidents on the county's highways.

Mr Arden believes cameras are being misused as a way of making more money through fines.

The organisation believes they should be brightly coloured and sited with care at accident blackspots where there is a proven history that excessive speed is a cause.

He said: "I cannot think of a single camera in Essex that is in the right location. There is no doubt they are put in for their revenue potential."

The automotive engineer, who lives in Bicknacre, has produced a graph, which compares the number of speed cameras in Essex with road accident causalities, including fatal crashes.

He said: "Year on year there clearly is no correlation between the two and the death and accident rate in Essex has been around a constant number since the early 1990s.

"The year by year variation we are seeing is just natural variation and conclusions cannot be drawn unless there is a permanent change in the figures for at least three years."

Brian Ladd, of the Essex Police casualty reduction unit, said police were "adamant" that speed cameras were helping to reduce accidents.

He said: "We have the evidence to prove cameras are saving lives. Everyone concentrates on road deaths but there is a much wider picture - you must look at the trends of injury accidents.

"Last year we had an increase in the number of road deaths but there was a reduction of 750 in injury accidents. That trend is the right one to look at."

Mr Ladd dismissed allegations that cameras were sited for their money-making potential.

He said: "That's an easy allegation to make. It could not be further from the truth. There is no profit for the county council or us. It's purely a cost recovery system."

A rolling programme to make traffic cameras more visible by painting them yellow begins in earnest in March.

Published Tuesday, February 19, 2002