Speed camera fines rise sevenfold

Speed cameras are unpopular with many motorists

The number of speeding prosecutions and fines has increased sevenfold in ten years, figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show.

Conservative MP Mark Field's request found speed camera offences rose from 262,000 in 1996 to 1,865,000 in 2006.

The Cities of London and Westminster MP told BBC 2's Daily Politics he wanted the "pendulum turned back to the long suffering motorist".

Road safety charity Brake says cameras help catch drivers who endanger lives.

'Russian roulette'

The number of speed cameras in England and Wales rose from under 2,000 in 2000 to more than 5,500 by 2006.

In a film for Wednesday's Daily Politics, Mr Field said cameras were "more about money raising than safety on roads".

The use of speed cameras has transformed the disqualification system into one of Russian roulette Mark Field

He says he objects to the "excessive use" of the cameras and the "overzealous penalising of drivers".

"The use of speed cameras transformed the disqualification system into one of Russian roulette."

The government had raised huge sums through fines, he added, and yet, at the same time, the number of traffic officers on duty had fallen by 20%.

The "explosion" in cameras had done little to address serious problems such as the number of people still driving unlicensed vehicles or not paying any road tax.

Mr Field wants more local authorities to follow Swindon's example - the Wiltshire borough which has voted to stop funding them.

Swindon intends to use the