Warning signs to replace cameras

[Wizzo]

Speed limits may be a very blunt instrument when it comes to road safety but official realisation that cameras don't save lives is dawning.

That seems to be the thinking behind the move of the Lothian and Borders camera partnership, which this week announced that it'll be putting up speed warning signs on stretches of road that are currently patrolled by speed camera vans.

The vehicle-activated signs will only be installed in areas with 30mph or 40mph limits, and will be triggered if an approaching car exceeds the limit plus 10 per cent. Then they'll issue a flashing warning -- and in some cases, a smiley or a frown.

The organisation said that the cameras would still patrol but, if drivers slowed down, they would be withdrawn. At stake are not just drivers' licences but also the cost: cameras cost £50,000 each, while the signs cost just £3,000, so they save your taxes too.

Sites include:

Edinbrgh area: A90 north of Cramond Brig, A70 Balerno and Ferry Road north of Edinburgh.
West Lothian: A71 in Polbeth, A706 in Whitburn.
Borders: A7 at Magdala Terrace in Galashiels and Stow, A72 on Innerleithen Road, Peebles, and on the A698 in Coldstream.

Paul Smith, founder of the road safety Safe Speed campaign, said: "Drivers will be relieved when they find they are not running the gauntlet of the speed camera vans. Vehicle-activated signs are proven to be far more effective than speed cameras when they are used correctly."