Misconduct allegation against DfT's figures on cost effectiveness of speed cameras
Published: 28th April 2007
Category: Crazy
Reader's Rage: [54votes]

The Department for Transport's figures provided to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee led to misleading conclusions about the relative cost effectiveness of speed cameras and vehicle activated signs. Formal complaints have been lodged with the police and Parliamentary Ombudsman alleging possible misconduct.

The Transport Committee claimed that speed cameras were marginally more cost effective than vehicle activated signs, but the actual truth is the signs are 50 times more cost effective.

The DfT's figures used a sample cost of £7000 for speed cameras which is only the cost of the metal housing and didn't include the £35,000 cost of the camera itself. The cost of vehicle activated signs was taken from two 1998 experimental prototypes which cost £14,000, thus presenting the cost as if it were the current cost of one sign.

The DfT and the Committee refuse to accept that the figures were misleading.

Our comment: No wonder road safety hasn't improved when grossly misleading information is presented to Parliament as hard core facts.

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