A COUNTY councillor has been caught speeding three times -- by a camera he petitioned for.

Coun Alan Whittaker now faces a ban if he is captured again.

But he believes more cameras will serve to make the county's roads safer.

He spoke out as the debate about speed cameras continued in the wake of Lancashire Police's decision to increase the number of cameras in the county from 69 to 320 over the next two years.

The police have said they will use revenue from the cameras to fund more road safety schemes -- claiming they will help save lives.

Coun Whittaker, a former Mayor of Chorley, had campaigned for a speed camera to be installed on the B5250 in Eccleston, one of the villages he represents at County Hall, for several years.

It was eventually installed this year, much to the delight of Coun Whittaker, who is charge of the county's policy on education and young people.

He has collected three points for each offence plus a £60 fixed fine.

He said: "It would be hypocritical of me to campaign for this for several years and then condemn it when I got caught.

"I am not a fast driver, I was literally doing 35 in a 30 and I was caught out, and rightly so.

"Some might say it is bad luck, but I am glad it is working.

"People were worried about speeding along the road, and there were a lot of people going far too fast. That isn't happening now, or at least not to the same extent, and it does make the roads safer.

"It is very satisfying to see the brake lights coming on as people enter the village because it means our road is safer.

"They obviously work and I hope that their success can be repeated wherever they are needed. Hopefully, any publicity over what happened to me will prove that these cameras actually work. I'll be watching my exact speed in future.

"Any more points and I will lose my licence."

Trials in other areas of the country showed that places with more cameras reported a 47 per cent drop in casualties.

In Lancashire, accident 'hot-spots' will be identified and a regional TV advertising campaign will help to raise the profile of the scheme.

Over the next three years, police hope their strategy will save the lives of 40 people and reduce serious accident casualties by more than 700.

Police have pledged to be "honest and open" about where cameras are sited.