In 1998 the United Kingdom Government determined that fine income from speed and red light cameras should be used to fund additional cameras and the associated enforcement costs. This process became known as 'hypothecation' with eight areas chosen to pilot the hypothecation project which had the main objective of improving road safety. South Wales, which had used speed and red light cameras since the early 1990's, was selected as one of the pilot areas. Each of the pilot areas has to satisfy business and safety effectiveness criteria. Expenditure has to be contained within projected revenue and the area is expected to show a reduction in both speed and casualties. Effective organisation and operation of a Partnership are essential if these criteria are to be met. Management of the South Wales Partnership is particularly challenging as it involves seven Local Highway Authorities, South Wales Police, the Welsh Assembly and other interested parties. The paper describes experiences, during the first year of operation, from the viewpoint of the South Wales Partnership. The selection of appropriate locations for Static and Mobile cameras are discussed in relation to the need to meet both business and safety evaluation requirements while also retaining the co-operation and good will of the local population. Management issues are considered, particularly the need for efficiency in the flow of information between partners. Requirements for, and methods of providing, robust data for safety evaluation are described. This information will be of particular value to those Local Authorities who will be included as part of the national rollout of the scheme which is scheduled to start this year. Data describing offences recorded during the pilot, casualties and personal injury accidents, and measures of speed are presented and evaluated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the camera hypothecation project in South Wales.
Abstract