A mother whose son was killed by a speeding driver in Swindon has called on the council to switch its speed cameras back on - a year after the authority covered the devices up.
Swindon Borough Council took the action in July 2009 after members decided to divert funds for the five speed cameras and concentrate instead on different road safety measures. In April this year, the council - the first in England to abandon the use of cameras - reported that it had experienced no increase in the number of crashes on its roads.
However, Caroline, whose son Tyrese was killed aged seven when a driver who was travelling at around 45mph in a 30mph zone mounted the pavement, said she was "disgusted with the lack of concern" shown by the council for the safety of the public.
Urging Swindon residents to report dangerous roads to safety charity Brake, she added: "I want [the council] to know that people do care about road safety."
Ellen Booth, Brake's Campaigns Officer, said that fixed cameras are "an invaluable and economic safety resource that slow traffic down and reduce the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads".
"When people talk about speed cameras being a 'cash cow' they entirely miss the point," she added.
"Speed tickets are issued to people who break the law; speeding is a criminal and deadly offence and deserves to be punished."
A spokesperson for Swindon council told the BBC that the authority is currently undergoing "major work" to change the road where Tyrese was killed, altering its shape to slow drivers down, and installing safety barriers and crossings.
Safety campaigners now fear that Swindon's example may be followed by other authorities, with the Government stating that it will not provide funding for any new speed cameras, and slashing road safety budgets.
Earlier this week, Oxfordshire County Council reported that it was turning off its entire speed camera network, following budget cuts. Speaking on BBC Radio Four's Today programme, council leader Keith Mitchell said that the authority had to concentrate on more important areas of spending - such as children and the elderly.
Meanwhile, it emerged last week that three speed cameras in Derby had been decommissioned, after proving ineffective in improving road safety, while 17 more are under review.
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