To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's requirements are for the visibility and conspicuousness of speed enforcement operations; whether all police forces are subject to such rules; and if she will make a statement. (174660)

Speed limit enforcement is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. The law requires only that the speed limits should be correctly signed in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 as amended.

The Department for Transport as the lead Department for road safety issued on 31 January 2007 new guidance for local authorities, police and other local partners on the deployment of speed and red light cameras. A copy of this has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/speedmanagement/pdfdftcirc0107

This guidance sets out the Government's intention of high visibility speed enforcement and encourages the use of visibility and conspicuity rules which have been shown to reduce speeds and casualties at camera sites. It does not, however, restrict or fetter the discretion which the police have always had to enforce covertly anywhere at any time.