READERS of the Bucks Free Press website have hit back at reports new speed enforcement has made the M40 safer, and fear the cameras themselves could lead to more accidents.

Comments posted on this website say the real problem on the motorway is careless driving rather than breaking the speed limit.

The mobile cameras, which have been used in three locations since October, have led to just 14 speeding offences being detected over 20 ¾ hours of monitoring.

Nine people have been killed, and more seriously injured, on the south Bucks stretch of the M40 since May 31 2007.

The Bucks Free Press campaigned for speed cameras to be used on the motorway as the number of deaths rose.

Low_Wycombe, said: “Finally Thames Valley Police will have to admit that speed is not a factor in the spate of accidents that have occurred on the M40 over the past few years.”

wayneo, of bucks said: “We are now witnessing panic braking (mostly within the speed limit), more danger as people are focused on their speedos rather than the road and worst of all, criminal neglect in the reasons why the crashes occured in the first place. Not one fatality on the M40 last year was caused by exceeding the speed limit.”

“Unfortunately, the actual causes of crashes (driver inattention being the greatest cause), are being sidelined for the easier "e was speeding guv"

Weyfarer, of Princes Risborough said: “Come on Steve Cohen, let’s see the colour of your mettle.

”You desk-bound people all called for speed cameras to stop the motorway deaths, understandable since you couldn't possibly know any better sitting behind a desk 40 hours per week rather than sitting behind a steering wheel, now you have heard it from the drivers that use the motorways day in day out, we need real coppers on the motorway every hour of the day, patrolling, stopping, prosecuting and above all policing.”

This week’s BFP Comment reacted to the news of the speed camera results.

It said: “We knew lots of motorists would hate this idea and label it an unnecessary cash cow for the state at the expense of the hard-pressed driver. But, as the early evidence has shown this week, our continual reminders of the dangers of this motorway have appeared to have been worth all the effort and all the vitriol that has been poured upon us.

“More motorists are now complying with the speed limits because there is a greater awareness of ‘speed enforcements’.

“That is great news for the motoring public as a whole because it means the M40 is now a safer place. “

Click on the links on the right to see the original speed camera report, and this week's BFP comment.