The GRTU has written to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Communication Austin Gatt and to the Chairman of ADT to complain about the new speed cameras being introduced on the grounds that they are causing what they deem to be an unnecessary expense to distributors and other transport professionals who use the roads regularly. GRTU insisted that high way code speed limits (85kph on main roads) and (55kph urban zones) should be adhered to.

The GRTU said that the current speed limits being imposed through the enforcement made by speed cameras infringe the speed limit rights vehicle owners have under the law. GRTU gave as an example that The Association of Chief Police Officers in the UK advised that under normal circumstances speed cameras should be triggered by motorists speeding by more than 10% + 2 miles per hour. Cameras will not normally be triggered below these trash holds.

GRTU said it agrees with this advise and asked Minister Gatt to take it into consideration. In addition, the locations are chosen not on safety grounds as they are placed on roads where it is safe to drive up to the national speed limits and they are not placed in sensitive zones such as school areas where this speed would constitute a danger to pedestrians.

GRTU added that it considers the locations chosen to install the speed cameras as literally highway robbery. The judgements made to install a speed camera do not follow criteria as those established inter alia by the British Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology’s guidelines for the setting up of speed cameras.

These guidelines include:

• The majority (85%) of speed cameras must be placed in areas with a specified minimum level of death and injury within 1km in the previous 3 years (4 collisions) resulting in death/serious injury for fixed cameras, (2 for mobile)

• Crashes would not have been speed related but it must be shown that speeding is a problem at the location

• 15% of enforcement time can be used to respond to emerging problems e.g. areas of local concern

• Cameras should be clearly visible to motorists with yellow housings and not obscured by trees or signs

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