Speed cameras in Dorset to be reduced amid budget cuts

The number of fixed speed cameras across Dorset is to be reduced after council budget cuts.

The county's road safety partnership's budget has been slashed by more than £1m after councils passed on a 40% government cut in road safety funding.

The group has carried out a review and said up to 28 of its 38 fixed speed cameras could go with those at traffic lights cut from 13 to six.

The plans will will be discussed by Dorset's highways authorities.

Despite the government advising councils not to pass budget cuts directly on to road safety programmes, Dorset County Council, Bournemouth Council and Poole Council (Dorset's highways authorities) all approved the move.

The councils will meet in the coming weeks to decide whether to back plans to axe the cameras.

Councillor Peter Finney admitted he was "disappointed" that some cameras would be scrapped.

But Mr Finney, transport chief at Conservative-controlled Dorset County Council, said black spots would still be targeted.

He said: "The government has cut our road safety budget and we had to act.

"It is the same thing for all aspects of the county council that things have to be reduced."

The road safety partnership had already admitted it could not afford new cameras this year or maintain current ones in need of repair.

The group said: "A decision has been made to reduce the number of fixed-camera sites.

"However, [we are] looking to increase mobile camera operations which will allow for greater flexibility in targeting areas with high collision rates."

A number of other councils across England have already scrapped cameras amid budget cuts.