MOTORISTS who refuse to cut their speed were today warned they would be caught out as 48 new speed cameras began to go on-line across the county.

Eighteen of the cameras will be turned on within the next two weeks on roads in Blackburn, Burnley, Clitheroe, Nelson, Rawtenstall, Darwen, Oswaldtwistle and Baxenden.

They have been placed at 'hotspots' that have a history of bad crashes and a high number of speeding motorists .

The new cameras are launched by the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety and bring the total number in the county up to 117. There are plans to install 320 by the end of 2004.

The move has received a mixed reaction from residents and motorists and The Association of British Drivers is campaigning to amend the rules on where speed cameras are erected.

But Linda Sanderson, from the partnership said: "Since traffic cameras were introduced in Lancashire the number of accidents on roads with speed cameras have been cut by 34 per cent.

"There has been a 63 per cent reduction in accidents resulting in death or serious injury."

She said that the majority of crashes occur on roads with a speed limit of 30mph or less and at 35mph people are twice as likely to kill someone than they are at 30mph.

Paul Trickett, Deputy Head of Rhyddings High School and co-opted member of Oswaldtwistle council, said: "People in general seem to be backing the speed camera in Union Road because of traffic problems and the fact that it is such a fast stretch of road as you come through the lights.

"We have a lot of children crossing near there so it has got to be good for road safety."

Clare Edwards, 21, who works at Edwards Wine Shop, Whalley New Road, Blackburn, which is to get a new camera, said that she also welcomes any new measure that would cut drivers' speeds.

She said: "People have been complaining about it for a while, Whalley New Road is very fast, there have been a fair few accidents and deaths.

"I live on the road myself and there was an old man who was run over right outside my house."

But Keith Catwell, 37, who works at The Craven Heifer Pub, Briercliffe Road, Burnley, which is also to get a camera, said: "There's already two on this road down by the hospital and one near us, they should spend more time catching real criminals.

"They are spending all this money on these things because it's easy money for them, that's what all this zero tolerance and stopping you at 35mph is about."

Linda Sanderson said: "The police don't actually receive the money from the fines.

"The money goes to the Lord Chancellor's office and the use of fixed cameras actually frees up the time of of police officers to carry out their duties."

She also said that the idea of 'zero tolerance' was a myth.

"The police have a discretion to allow drivers to go an additional ten per cent plus 2mph over the speed limit before taking action."

County Councillor Terry Burns, of Burnley said: "I welcome the installation of this new batch of speed safety cameras which aim to reduce casualties on our roads.

"The accident and injury figures alone show the need for a positive approach."

"Nationally, the number of road deaths is rising so it is quite clear that speed cameras just are not working" said Bernard Abrams, spokesperson for ABD.

"They distract drivers' attention to quibble over a few miles an hour instead of worrying about driving safely."

The new sites are:

BLACKBURN: Barbara Castle Way, near Victoria Street - 41 deaths/injuries in the last three years; Stancliffe Street, near Griffin Mill - 18 deaths/injuries; Buncer Lane, near Wensley Street - 18 deaths/injuries; Whalley New Road, near Pearl Street - 21 deaths/injuries; Whitebirk Road, near Gloucester Road - 13 deaths/injuries; Preston New Road, near Bromley Street - 13 deaths/injuries.

BURNLEY: Briercliffe Road, near Townley Street - 31 deaths/injuries; Briercliffe Road, near Croasdale Avenue - 16 deaths/injuries; Colne Road, near Murray Street - 18 deaths/injuries; Rossendale Road, near Navick Avenue - 15 deaths/injuries; Colne Road, near Murray Street - 18 deaths/injuries;

Colne Road, near Canal Bridge - 23 deaths/injuries

PENDLE: New Scotland Road, near Charles Street, Nelson - 31 deaths/injuries

RAWTENSTALL: Burnley Road, near Rockcliffe Street - 23 deaths/injuries.

CLITHEROE: Waterloo Road, near Peel Street- 20 deaths/injuries

DARWEN: Goosehouse Lane, Goose House Bridge, Lower Darwen - 16 deaths/injuries

HYNDBURN: Union Road, near New Palladium, Oswaldtwistle - 20 deaths/injuries; Manchester Rd, near Pilling Ave, Baxenden - 17 deaths/injuries.