CONCERNED people across the region have backed a bid to use the cash raised from speeding fines spent on road safety schemes in the West Midlands instead of sending the money to Westminster.
In total, over 1,300 people across the region took part in the month-long consultation, with 93 per cent agreeing money from fixed penalty fines should stay in the area.
Collected cash is currently sent to a central pot controlled by The Treasury and is not fed back into road policing.
West Midlands Police processes an average of 16,654 fixed penalty tickets each year, raising around £1,654,000 for the Treasury.
In addition, 77 per cent of those who responded to the consultation said they felt either unsafe or very unsafe on the roads while 94 per cent said they had personally witnessed cars driving at inappropriate or high speeds.
The plans were proposed by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster.
He said the cash would help police prevent and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour as well as lowering the number of people avoidably killed and seriously injured on the roads.
“This consultation has given a clear endorsement for my view, that money raised by speeding fines here in the West Midlands, should be retained here and invested in making our roads safer.
“Enforcement is at a cost to the local authorities and the police.
“This means money, which could be used to prevent, tackle and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and lower the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads is being used to generate revenue for Central Government.
“All cash generated through the enforcement of unlawful speeding on West Midlands roads, should be spent in the region.”
