More dangerous mobile camera operations from Dorset Road Unsafe

A few years ago Poole Council, against objection, DfT guidance and common sense, reduced the speed limit on the Dorset Way / Canford Way to 50MPH. They had previously measured an average speed of 62MPH, but chose a limit of 50 because they thought a 60 limit would be confusing!!!! http://ha2.boroughofpoole.com/akspoole/images/att10391.doc

When it chose 50 instead of 60 on no safety grounds whatsoever, it must have known that the side effects of this would include greater conflict with safe driving and much greater enforcement income.  

As I anticipated, with the demise of the Greed on Green camera due to public reaction resulting from the the exposure of the income Dorset Police tried to keep silent, and the lies about the reason for placement, the A3049 which had never been targeted with a 70 limit became a favourite with Dorset Road Unsafe, the income now only second to the A338 mobile location where a camera resulted in a death. Here we see again the effects of the financial motivations – don’t target speeding likely to be dangerous (i.e. above 70), but target speeding likely to be safe (less than 60). The majority of drivers do drive at a safe speed, if you can make money from safe drivers you can make some serious MONEY, there’s little money to be made from the minority of the truly dangerous drivers that cause the deaths.

However, the problem with the A3049 is that there aren’t really any safe locations for a mobile van. Needless to say, that doesn’t stop Dorset Road Unsafe.

They have frequently been seen on the Fleetsbridge Flyover (don’t get me started on Poole Council’s traffic lights disaster here), on a brow and a bend, completely insane. Recently a sighting was photographed and put on the Dorset Speed Camera facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/289211581192058/

This demonstrates quite well the extremes the Dorset Road Unsafe management will go to make money from safe driving with total disregard to the dangers caused to the public and even their own operators. You are not even meant to stay in a vehicle on a hard shoulder but here we have an operator in a van wilfully parked at the end of a slip road partly on the road and partly blocking a pavement.

Having been investigating Dorset Police / Road Unsafe for 10 years now this hardly surprises me but you have to question the sanity of the operators too. However, they could report to the managers the dangers and the bad driving that cameras trigger and we know (from an FOI question a few years ago) that the Dorset Road Unsafe managers would actively refuse to listen in blatant breach of their duty of care amongst many other matters of conduct and integrity.

Meanwhile, I know that some will be keen for news on my investigation about the finances but despite an escalation through the Freedom of information process and an ongoing IPCC complaint, it is now approaching 3 years that Dorset Police have refused to properly reveal where the £millions go. It claims for example that it needs the equivalent of 10 staff on £52K to deliver a simple course to 40 people but has flatly refused to explain this. I hope to be able to report on this in the next month or so and will publish a comprehensive write-up of a chain of cover up and protection you would not believe.

I was hoping that with the departure of Martin Baker things might improve but it is not looking good at the moment.