Darling: 'Cameras invade privacy'

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Cameras won't be used on handheld phone users
Idea proposed by parliamentary advisory council
Transport secretary rejects idea

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Cameras won't be used to catch motorists using a handheld phone or failing to wear their seatbelts.

The idea to use number plate reading cameras to catch motorists for these offences has been quickly dismissed by transport secretary Alistair Darling.

Darling rejected the call for the measure to be included in the Road Safety Bill, which is being debated in Parliament today.

He said that using the cameras in this way would be an invasion of privacy: 'It's one thing to have cameras to detect speeding motorists and those running red lights, but quite another having them looking inside cars and invading people's private space. We are not going to do it.'

The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety is putting the idea forward to the Transport Select Committee today.