TheNewspaper.com: Driving Politics
Home >The Revolt > Camera Destruction > UK: Swindon Speed Camera Scorched 
Print It Email It Tweet It

UK: Swindon Speed Camera Scorched
Speed camera torched in Swindon, UK as local officials consider dropping speed camera program entirely.

Peter Greenhalgh
Vigilantes torched a speed camera in Swindon, UK last Saturday. The 2am attack took out a temporary speed camera on the A419 near Blunsdon that had been put in place to ticket motorists in a construction area where the speed limit had been lowered. The latest attack followed the May 31 destruction of a camera on the A345 and comes as the borough is considering eliminating speed cameras on its own.

Five attacks in the past six years have put a dent in the £2,704,800 (US $5,409,600) in profit the devices have generated with 62,588 tickets issued. Because this profit is sent directly to the UK treasury, Swindon Borough Council officials are questioning whether continuing the program makes sense. The cabinet member for transport, Councilor Peter Greenhalgh, suggested that Swindon could become the first jurisdiction to pull out of a speed camera partnership. In July, BBC's Top Gear responded swiftly to the proposal.

"This week, Britain got a new motoring hero... Councilor Peter Greenhalgh from Swindon Borough Council," said host Jeremy Clarkson. "He says it's a blatant tax on motorists and he's getting rid of every speed camera in Swindon."

After an ovation from the studio audience, the show's hosts offered Greenhalgh the Top Gear Trophy of Excellence for Service to Common Sense and the Throne of Gratitude.

Source: Speed camera set on fire (Swindon Advertiser (UK), 8/5/2008)

Regional News:
Other news about England



Permanent Link for this item
Return to Front Page


Related News
Canada, France, Italy: Dozens Of Speed Cameras Blinded

Speed Cameras Smashed, Scorched In Europe and Australia

Molotov Cocktails And Trash Cans Defeat Speed Cameras

Ticketing Camera Cameras Houses Endangered Species

Italian Speed Camera Riddled With Thirty Bullets




View Main Topics:

Get Email Updates
Subscribe with Google
Subscribe via RSS or E-Mail

Back To Front Page


Front Page | Get Updates | Site Map | About Us | Search | RSS Feed
TheNewspaper.com: Driving politics
TheNewspaper.com