How was trial a success?
RE your report ( 3 more regions to get unmarked speed cars , June issue), you say these cars are being rolled out “after a year-long trial in Normandy was deemed to be a success”.
How was this ‘success’ calculated? By whom and where are the figures to support this statement?
Peter Mullin, by email
Editor’s note:A statement released by the government in May hailed the trial a success.
It states that during the initial months the unmarked cars, run by private companies, were introduced gradually to smooth out technical problems.
In the first three months of this year they registered 30% more people driving at 20kph or more above the speed limit than fixed radars at the same time. The statement claims this proves the cars’ effectiveness in fighting people driving at excessive speeds.
In 800 journeys, the cars covered around 200,000km and registered 12,000 speeding offences.
In April alone, they covered 100,000km and registered 6,800 infractions, which is cited as a sign of increased efficiency. Twenty-six cars were in operation by the beginning of May and the aim is for them to control 200,000km a month this summer.
By January 2020 the government plans 60 more unmarked speed cars with 19 in Brittany, 21 in Pays de la Loire and 21 in Centre-Val de Loire.
It says the drivers will be paid by the km and not by the number of speeding tickets issued.
The statement says 1 out of 3 accidents resulting in death is caused by excess or inappropriate speed.
The group 40 millions d’automobilistes is opposed saying road safety is a job for law enforcement agencies, not private companies. It has filed a complaint at the Conseil d’Etat.
