Peterborough Speed camera torched
Discussion
Speed camera torched
PEOPLE who sabotage speed cameras were labelled "idiots" by a police officer today.
Pc Paul Stubbings, casualty reduction officer for Cambridgeshire police, said would-be vigilantes who torched a speed camera in Peterborough late last night had put hundreds of lives in danger.
The temporary camera was surrounded by tyres and torched at about 11.50pm, sending thick black plumes of smoke into the air. Ironically, three passing motorists rang the emergency services to report the fire.
The camera on the busy A47 Soke Parkway in Peterborough, has caught many speeding motorists but was also there to protect workers on a £2.4 million series of road improvements.
The prime suspects could be people who have had to pay stiff fines for breaking speed limits after being caught by cameras.
PC Stubbings said: "We are seeing a rise of supposed vigilantes across the country, who think they are helping motorists out by damaging speed cameras.
"But this is not the case, they are just idiots putting people's lives at risk and they are also commiting a serious act of criminal damage."
The officer said he could understand how drivers might be frustrated by the speed restrictions, but explained this was not the way to solve the problem.
He said: "I know it can be frustrating to travel into Peterborough on the parkway at the moment and the speed restrictions increase journey times. I live in Paston and I use the road myself, but this is not the answer.
"The cameras are there for a reason, it is not safe to drive at speed when roadworks are being completed and pedestrians are sharing the parkway with you. By attempting to damage these cameras you could be putting lives at risk. It's not big and its not clever, it's dangerous and it has to stop."
The arson attack on the Soke Parkway is just the latest in a string of attacks on speed cameras in the city over the years.
Police are looking for a motorist who may have driven deliberately into a camera on Lincoln Road, Millfield, Peterborough, last week.
The camera was destroyed by the collision and will take about a week to be replaced.
A spokesman for motoring organisation, the RAC said: "We would never condone that kind of direct action of course, but speed cameras are a focus of frustration from motorists. The vast number of motorists see them as tools of revenue raising and do not trust the reasons why they have been placed on certain roads."
Anyone with information about this latest arson attack, or any other attack on a speed camera should telephone police on 0845 456 4564, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
21 April 2005
PEOPLE who sabotage speed cameras were labelled "idiots" by a police officer today.
Pc Paul Stubbings, casualty reduction officer for Cambridgeshire police, said would-be vigilantes who torched a speed camera in Peterborough late last night had put hundreds of lives in danger.
The temporary camera was surrounded by tyres and torched at about 11.50pm, sending thick black plumes of smoke into the air. Ironically, three passing motorists rang the emergency services to report the fire.
The camera on the busy A47 Soke Parkway in Peterborough, has caught many speeding motorists but was also there to protect workers on a £2.4 million series of road improvements.
The prime suspects could be people who have had to pay stiff fines for breaking speed limits after being caught by cameras.
PC Stubbings said: "We are seeing a rise of supposed vigilantes across the country, who think they are helping motorists out by damaging speed cameras.
"But this is not the case, they are just idiots putting people's lives at risk and they are also commiting a serious act of criminal damage."
The officer said he could understand how drivers might be frustrated by the speed restrictions, but explained this was not the way to solve the problem.
He said: "I know it can be frustrating to travel into Peterborough on the parkway at the moment and the speed restrictions increase journey times. I live in Paston and I use the road myself, but this is not the answer.
"The cameras are there for a reason, it is not safe to drive at speed when roadworks are being completed and pedestrians are sharing the parkway with you. By attempting to damage these cameras you could be putting lives at risk. It's not big and its not clever, it's dangerous and it has to stop."
The arson attack on the Soke Parkway is just the latest in a string of attacks on speed cameras in the city over the years.
Police are looking for a motorist who may have driven deliberately into a camera on Lincoln Road, Millfield, Peterborough, last week.
The camera was destroyed by the collision and will take about a week to be replaced.
A spokesman for motoring organisation, the RAC said: "We would never condone that kind of direct action of course, but speed cameras are a focus of frustration from motorists. The vast number of motorists see them as tools of revenue raising and do not trust the reasons why they have been placed on certain roads."
Anyone with information about this latest arson attack, or any other attack on a speed camera should telephone police on 0845 456 4564, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
21 April 2005
A bit silly IMO. The roadworks and camera were TEMPORARY - no way that working on the inside lane is safe with cars passing at Mach 2 6ft from you.
Correctly sited, temporary and well signed - not a problem IMO.
Actually, I can't think of any in Peterborough which are in a bad position. Maybe the one on the A605 - but I remember that being there years ago.
Correctly sited, temporary and well signed - not a problem IMO.
Actually, I can't think of any in Peterborough which are in a bad position. Maybe the one on the A605 - but I remember that being there years ago.
Check out this link
www.speedcam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index2.htm
poor gatsos all destroyed like that brings tears to your eyes......
.....tears of joy that is
www.speedcam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index2.htm
poor gatsos all destroyed like that brings tears to your eyes...... .....tears of joy that is
Scameraship wan*bag said:
The officer said he could understand how drivers might be frustrated by the speed restrictions, but explained this was not the way to solve the problem.
Hmm interesting statement that!
First he acknowledges motorists "frustrations" then says that " This sint the way to solve the problem".
Really? So he admits speed cameras are a problem.
Too right theyre a problem. What other avenues would this jumped up bag of toss suggest drivers take then in order to address this "problem"?
"5 litres of unleaded and a remould please". Thats the ONLY avenue left cos of dicks like HIM.
Burn baby burn.
Pc Paul Stubbings said:
would-be vigilantes who torched a speed camera in Peterborough late last night had put hundreds of lives in danger.
You
what? The parkways are isolated from housing by an embankment. There is nothing where they are sited to catch fire. The only danger is to the scameraships revenue stream
So they are there to protect what exactly? The workforce? You mean two blokes leaning on a shovel for four hours a day...
They have the whole A47 coned off 24*7 with nothing happening except a bit of secondary taxation.
Remember when the Tories were in, cones were removed at the end of the day. This work could easily be accomplished with the cones out only during work and NO scameras.
I feel a letter to the local paper asking Paul Stubbins to reveal how hundreds of lives were put in danger
vixpy1 said:
Damn, was just cracking open the Champagne then..
thought it read 'Peterborough torched'
Only coz we have the last remaining pics of the infamous WHOCT. You know we will always share them with fellow PHers and use them to warn your women of what presents they will receive
Vixpy says OXO anyone?
406 said:
Speed camera torched
PEOPLE who sabotage speed cameras were labelled "idiots" by a police officer today.
Pc Paul Stubbings, casualty reduction officer for Cambridgeshire police, said would-be vigilantes who torched a speed camera in Peterborough late last night had put hundreds of lives in danger.
I've told you a million times not to exaggerateA19 the other day, some works being carried out on a bridge. So there's a 50 limit, and one lane coned off. What was parked in the cones? An ANPR camera van 
Stupid place to park, I thought......
Someone might go up onto the bridge and drop a concrete slab on it...
Incidentally, the apes in charge of it looked rather a lot like..... apes.
Stupid place to park, I thought......
Someone might go up onto the bridge and drop a concrete slab on it...
Incidentally, the apes in charge of it looked rather a lot like..... apes.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff