The number of people caught speeding in built-up areas has also increased, although not so dramatically, with an increase of a thousand to 5327. The number of people killed on the roads also increased, with fatalities totalling 37, 12 more than last year.

Eamon Scott, local spokesman for the Association of British Drivers, said, “The speeding campaign is a complete waste of time, because deaths on the road have gone up 37%. The police and the local authorities have got to come up with a better solution than more and more cameras.”

He noted that last week, Transport Minister Alastair Darling claimed speed cameras installed in the last three years had saved 100 lives a year. Only days later, his own department released figures showing 100 more people were killed on roads in the UK than in 2000 — the year before the camera scheme started.

Mr Scott added that Mr Darling’s department conceded speed accounted for 12.5% of accidents — only the fourth highest cause. Bad driving was the biggest cause.

“What we have been saying for some time is that deaths will continue to rise as long as the police put everything into speed detection. There has also been a 50% decrease in the number of people convicted for drink driving, because the police are concentrating on speeding alone.

“We also had the biggest increase in deaths from drink driving for the past ten years. The police maintain speed cameras are only part of an overall approach, but that is not the case. They are failing to concentrate on driver behaviour.”

A spokesperson for the partner-ship said cash from speeding fines was used to cover the costs of the installation and running of not only the cameras in Tayside, but also the costs of the education work done by the organisation.

She said any money left over went back to the Treasury. The exact figures will not be available until the annual audit is finished and published in July.

She said the main criterion for the installation of cameras was the number of accidents on a road caused by excessive speed.

She added they were “saddened by the tragic loss of life” on the area’s roads over the past year.

“As a road safety organisation we are only too aware of the misery and suffering accidents cause. It should be noted, however, that the total number of collisions last year actually fell, as did the total number of people sustaining serious or slight injuries. The overall trend of injury collisions is also downwards.

“It should also be remembered the TSCP has been in operation for less than a year, and therefore the effectiveness of the partnership cannot yet be judged.

“However, a recent independent three-year study into safety cameras across the UK found they were effective in reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured at camera sites, and that more than 100 lives were being saved across the country.

“The report also found there was a significant reduction in excessive speeding at camera sites. Although speed is not the only factor in accidents, it is a significant one, and this study showed there was a clear link between the level of speed reduction at sites and the level of collision and casualty reduction.

“The partnership is just one part of an ongoing road safety campaign in Tayside. The partnership consists of Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross Councils, the Scottish Executive and Tayside Police.

“Each partner can only recover its costs associated with operating the cameras. None of the partners can make a profit.

“There are two mobile cameras and two vans covering a total of 67 mobile sites. There are also 17 fixed camera sites.”