'More speed cameras' plea

Thousands more speed cameras could be installed in a government review of the roads where they can be sited.

Police chiefs say they have "run out of sites" and are demanding more.

Any relaxation by the Department of Transport would see a huge proliferation in the number of cameras - way above the 6,000 in use in England and Wales.

Currently, there must have been at least four collisions per kilometre involving death or injury in the previous three years before a camera can be installed. For mobile cameras the rule is two collisions.

However, even when this criterion is met, police must prove at least 20 per cent of drivers are breaking the limit.

The demand for more cameras comes from the Association of Chief Police Officers. It has launched a campaign to relax the rules governing their siting. Ian Bell,

Acpo's speed camera liaison officer, said: "We want more flexibility in where we can use cameras. The existing rules set the barrier too high.

"People are slowing down for the cameras, but the deaths are still happening elsewhere where the rules prevent us from using cameras."

Mr Bell said the Government had been "unable to produce" scientific evidence to justify the regulations which ban the siting of a camera unless a proportion of drivers exceed the speed limit.