Speed cameras in Somerset are to be removed

Several speed cameras in Somerset are to be removed because they have "done their job" in reducing crashes and casualties.

A Safety Camera Partnership spokesman said some of the county's 26 fixed camera boxes would be taken away in the next few weeks.

He said 175,000 speeding drivers had attended courses instead of having penalty points on their licences.

The sites will be monitored by mobile vehicles, he said.

Partnership manager Dick Bowen said nine boxes that contained speed cameras on a rotating basis will be removed, refurbished and put into storage, to be used in future if necessary.

There will be 17 speed camera sites left in the county.

"A speed camera at the side of the road will only stop people offending at that particular spot," Mr Bowen said.

"We will replace the cameras with mobile vehicles where data shows there's a problem."

Figures from the multi-agency partnership show that the number of people injured on roads in Somerset has dropped from 2,594 in 2002 to 2,019 in 2009.

The number of deaths and serious injuries has fallen from 351 to 304 in the same period, the spokesman added.