---

Road Safety Bill [Lords]

That brings me to another point. I do not think that most drivers would respond in such a way. Personally, I do not believe that speed cameras should be visible from the road. Having speed cameras aimed at catching lawbreakers but painting them black and yellow—there are lines on the road, but they have to be there—to warn people that they are about to be monitored is completely self-defeating. The hon. Member for Ilford, North mentioned a problem in his constituency on the approach to a roundabout from a slip-road off the M11, where accidents had increased by 300 per cent. since a speed camera was installed. I do not know anything about the particular circumstances, but I wonder whether the reason for the increase is that the visibility of the camera forces drivers to slow down too quickly, perhaps causing cars to bump together. There is a simple answer: do not make the cameras visible. If somebody is driving within the speed limit at all times, they have no need to know where any of the cameras are. The idea that either the Government or the AA are making the locations of cameras known in order to safeguard people pushes the limits of credibility. The AA performed a service for particular drivers, as it knew that drivers needed to know the location of cameras in order to hit 80 and 90 mph between them. Another device that is used to beat speed cameras is special reflective number plates. There was an advert in Glasgow a few years ago—it has now been removed— next to the Clydeside expressway promoting reflective number plates that it said were guaranteed to beat speed cameras. Of course, there may be some loophole that allows such number plates to be sold legally. I hope not, and I hope that the police would investigate any such advert. Will the Minister clarify whether such a device would be counted as one aimed at beating the speed camera?