More Gatsos, but in sensible places and easier to spot

More Gatsos are coming with predictions of three times as many speeding fines being issued. But the Government is insisting that from now on cameras are painted bright to make them easy to spot and that they are only placed at proven accident black spots.

Bad news? Only if you can’t spot big bright orange things from a distance. And, in theory at least, Gatsos placed on nice safe straights in the middle of nowhere should be a thing of the past.

In fact, Government officials are saying that those that are proved to be in the ” wrong ” places already WILL be moved.

Cops and transport chiefs ordered the changes today and they will come into effect as soon as a standard for the colour-scheme is agreed. That’s likely to take a few months but will come into effect before the end of the year.

The cameras are almost certain to be painted orange or covered in reflective chevrons.

The changes come as every police force in Britain is told it can apply to have the cash raised from speeding fines to pay for even more cameras.

Until now, all forces, with the exception of eight already taking part in a trial of the new scheme, have had to hand the cash over to central Government coffers.

But the Government admits it’s worried that increasing numbers of road-users only see cameras as a form of stealth tax. Part of the reason for introducing the new rules is to try to make Gatsos more socially acceptable.

Transport minister John Spellar said: ” Cameras are there to change driver behaviour, not to catch motorists and raise revenue.

” In future, they will have to be highly visible and cannot be located for political or revenue-generating purposes.

” There must be evidence that their sites have the greatest casualty problems, too.

” Failure to meet the new rules will lead to forces losing their right to re-invest fine revenue. ”

The scheme also insists on better roadside warning signs and will force cops to reveal all speed camera locations in local papers, on local radio and on web-sites.

The eight forces– South Wales, Essex, Lincs, Thames Valley, Strathclyde, Nottingham, Northants and Cleveland – already re-investing the cash have now been joined by four more – Derbyshire, Lancashire, North Wales and Staffordshire.

Expect the number of cameras in these new areas to rapidly multiply.