WITH speed being the principle cause of only nine per cent of road accidents, is it any wonder that the huge increase in speed cameras has had no effect on road deaths within the UK.

This fixation with cameras and speed to the virtual exclusion of all other causes can have lead to no other outcome.

For the Department of Transport to now announce a ban on detectors, despite this failed policy, shows a breathtaking disregard for road safety.

I use a detector and when I recently had to use a hire car without one, I was conscious that my driving fell well below my usual standard.

I, like most motorists, do not consciously speed, however as I am concentrating on the factors that are really relevant to road safety such as the actions of road users (including pedestrians) my speed fluctuates between just over and under the speed limit.

While using a detector I can concentrate fully on driving safely in the knowledge that I will be forewarned of a speed trap and while it is dangerous to continually monitor your speedometer I can do so just for the time in the trap.

When you consider that a three-second glance at your speedometer at 30mph means you have travelled blind for 132ft, you get some kind of appreciation of the dangers involved.

Road safety is a complex issue and the current fixation on sped does all road users a great disservice.

As an example of the ineffectiveness of speed cameras, when political pressure forced the removal of cameras in British Columbia (Canada) this had no effect on road casualties whatsoever.

Until road safety is removed from the vested interests of the road safety partnerships the balanced approach required to make our roads safer will unfortunately remain a pipe dream.

STEPHEN SADLER, Valley Drive, Padiham.