SPEED cameras on Worcestershire’s roads might not be staying switched on after all.

In a dramatic turn of events after yesterday’s story in your Worcester News saying West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership was keeping its speed cameras whatever the cost, a senior Conservative county councillor claimed they were not safe at all due its own need to make savings.

Calls to turn cameras off have even been backed by an opposition Labour council member.

We reported yesterday how the safety partnership’s annual budget had already been cut from £2.1 million to about £1.5 million but members said they were committed to maintaining speed cameras.

Nearly half of this budget comes from Worcestershire County Council.

The partnership oversees more than 40 speed cameras. Road safety awareness campaigns, training and education programmes are also delivered but Coun Stephen Clee, cabinet member with responsibility for corporate services, said: “We get nothing for our money and it’s one of the things we’re going to be looking at stopping in the next budget.

“The county council would rather provide funding to frontline services than pay for cameras.”

Coun Clee said he was on the panel looking at cost cutting measures as the county council seeks to make about £45 million savings, possibly more depending on the Government’s comprehensive spending review, and said speed cameras looked like they would have to go.

“They are not here to stay at all,” he said.

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Alan Amos, who represents Worcester’s Gorse Hill and Warndon ward, said he wanted to see money taken from most, but not all, speed cameras and ploughed into tackling dangerous driving instead. “Speed cameras have a limited use but I’m concerned about road accidents and the majority are caused by dangerous driving, not speed,” he said.

In response to Coun Clee’s comments, the West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership and Worcestershire County Council issued a statement which said: “We can confirm that the Safer Roads Partnership has made proportionate cuts in line with Worcestershire County Council for this financial year and enforcement activities continue through the use of both mobile and static speed cameras.

“New mobile enforcement sites are also being launched in the county through our community concern site programme.

“We are now awaiting the national strategic spending review in October and expect funding will be reviewed as part of that process. We are not aware of any imminent plans to cut speed camera funding.”