As of 1 April 2013, there are no fixed speed cameras working in the West Midlands, following a decision made by West Midlands Police last year.
The last of the West Midlands' 304 fixed cameras were turned off on Monday in a move which is expected to save up to £1m a year.
This means that, for drivers in Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull and Coventry, slowing down for the yellow box at the side of the road is now a thing of the past. However, before you decide to head out and drive around Birmingham at 100mph for the sheer hell of it, we feel it's only responsible to inform you that (in addition to the obvious ethical and moral considerations) the Rozzers will still be using mobile speed cameras.
The decision was, as you'd expect, financially motivated. Speed cameras still use old-fashioned photographic film and developing the pictures is apparently too costly. West Midlands Police are currently considering whether to upgrade the cameras to use digital film, a move which would cost an estimated £580,000.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has condemned the decision. Kevin Clinton, from the society, said: "Speed cameras are a very effective way of saving lives and reducing injuries on the road, they help save an estimated 100 lives a year in the UK.
"They should continue to be used where casualty statistics show they are needed."
In 2009, Swindon became the first town in the UK to scrap speed cameras. Figures revealed that there was no increase in the number of road accidents following the decision and no fatalities in the six months after the turn-off.
