Out of gear

Intimation of a veto on government funding for speed safety cameras is tantamount to approval for illegal motoring in England and Wales , which fortunately is not applicable to Scotland ("Hammond pledges to end war on cars", 14 May).

To its credit, Transport Scotland, through its Scottish safety camera programme and police advice, is anxious to extend the highly successful "average speed camera" experience (on 32 miles of the A77) to relevant sections of the A1, A9, A72, A82, A90 etc.

The main impetus has been the experience of significantly reduced death/injury, improved traffic flow and major reduction in camera-cost equipment.

Although disliked by a very vocal opposition, speed cameras represent a particularly efficient and cost-effective adjunct to police surveillance and restraint on illegal, selfish and irresponsible driving behaviour.

If some cameras also act as revenue raisers, what's wrong with speeding culprits delivering a useful contribution to tax reduction for the benefit of others?

Philip Hammond's intimation of ending "war on motorists" conveniently ignores the insidious double standards which openly entice purchase and utilisation of cars on the "merits" of top speeds more than twice the 70mph legal limit. Where are such speeds supposed to achieved by the law abiding citizen?

We certainly wouldn't tolerate such covert "promotion" of equipment to create banknote forgeries, assist phone-tapping, e-mail hacking, exam cheating, or use of guns/knives/drugs/ explosives for purposes which tacitly encourage contempt for the law.

In the context of speed safety cameras, his comments are an infantile and inappropriate sound-bite from a Transport Secretary at the start of his career.

K A SUTHERLAND

Dirleton Gate

Bearsden, Glasgow