Cameras capture 61,000 speeding

Thousands of drivers have been caught by the safety cameras

More than 61,000 fixed penalty fines have been paid by drivers caught speeding in south west Scotland over the past five years.

It translates to a total of about £3.7m of £60 charges issued across Dumfries and Galloway between 2003 and 2008.

The peak came in 2005/06 when 16,155 fines were paid, totalling nearly £1m in that year alone.

Most of the offences detected by the region's Safety Camera Partnership take place on the A74(M) motorway.

Dumfries and Galloway Safety Camera Partnership (DGSCP) joined the Scottish safety camera programme in July 2003.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed that a total of 61,853 fines had been paid in its first five financial years of operation.

The total fixed penalty revenue is significantly higher than the running costs of the safety camera operation.

Between 2003 and 2008 the partnership received about £2.8m in grant entitlement from the Scottish Government.

DGSCP said it aims to reduce road casualties by "encouraging and educating" drivers to stay within speed limits.

It publicises where its cameras will be operating and has route strategies for the A74(M) and A75 as well as 14 mobile sites in other parts of the region.