To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how long on average elapses between the installation of an average speed camera and it becoming operational; and what percentage of such cameras installed in the last 12 months have not become fully operational within this period. (291387)

This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Since 1 April 2007 the deployment of safety cameras has been the responsibility of individual local road safety partnerships. The partnerships are entirely responsible for the installation and operation of all cameras within their area.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of (a) average and (b) fixed speed cameras installed in England and Wales on (i) motorways, (ii) A roads and (iii) B roads in the last 12 months. (291388)

The Department for Transport does not routinely assess the effectiveness of speed cameras, although the Department's guidance does recommend that speed and collision data are collected by road safety partnerships and the contribution cameras make to casualty reduction monitored and reviewed, at least annually. Cameras that operated under the National Safety Camera programme, which ended on 31 March 2007 proved to be very effective. Fatal casualties reduced by an average of 43 per cent. at fixed camera sites and killed or seriously injured casualties reduced by an average of 51 per cent. At mobile camera sites fatal casualties reduced by 42 per cent. and killed or seriously injured casualties reduced by an average of 22 per cent.