SUFFOLK: Nearly 13,000 motorists were caught speeding by just FIVE cameras in the county last year, the Evening Star can reveal.

The figures, obtained by a Freedom of Information request, show that 12,938 people were flashed by five cameras on the county’s roads in 2010. The most prolific caught 3,166 drivers.

That number is up from 10,567 drivers caught by the top five cameras in 2009. But, in a twist, Suffolk police have refused to reveal the locations of the fixed and mobile cameras, citing fear of vandalism.

However, campaigner and co-founder of Safe Speed Claire Arm-strong said that is just an excuse rolled out by police forces. She said she backs government proposals to make public the earnings of each camera.

And she argued it would make the cameras more effective if motorists were more aware of them. “There are not many cameras vandalised across the country and serious vandalism only happens to a minority of cameras,” she said.

“Speed cameras only catch technical infringements. T hey are not about safety and they wrongly tell drivers if they stick to a speed they are being safe.

“You don’t measure safety in miles per hour. We don’t condone speeding but understand the real world.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police cited a number of national examples where speed cameras have been vandalised.

She said: “If we were to release the names of the top five speed cameras, then it is quite clear that we will be reinforcing the negative views within the local community and placing these cameras at risk of criminal damage.”

The spokeswoman said this would also put the public at risk “if we are unable to enforce speed limits on high casualty prone roads due to cameras not working.”

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