HAVING been accused by the Lancashire Partnership For Road Safety of the selective use of accident statistics to justify the case against saturation speed cameras, the current radio and TV campaigns and recent release of statistics condemns the Partnership as hypocrites.

The figures are those issued by the Department of Transport and independent research organisations, such as universities, and are irrefutable.

The campaigns by the Partnership refer to a total casualty rate of 9,000 with speed being the cause of 3,000. This is completely at odds with the DoT's own figure giving speed as the casual effect of only nine per cent of casualties. I ask the Partnership: Who is being selective?

The latest figures issued to justify and increase the numbers of cameras supposedly shows an average casualty reduction of 30 per cent at camera sites. This makes no mention of the fact that since the introduction of cameras, the previous year-on-year reduction in all road casualties has turned into a steady increase -- a trend that continues.

The less-heralded statistics recently released by the DoT show that in several areas accident rates increased at camera sites including, incredibly, Essex, which showed an increase of 15 per cent on top of the previous year's 30 per cent increase when it was one of the trial areas for saturation cameras. Remember, governments figures, not mine.

The Partnership is already seeing a huge drop in revenue as motorists have adapted their driving behaviour and they will shortly have to address this.

Be prepared for an announcement that, as overall casualty rates have not dropped, obviously due to motorists continuing to speed, a policy of zero tolerance will be enforced. This will once again make no difference to casualty rates, but will obviously increase revenue again.

If you don't believe me, consider the fact that one police force has already applied to revert to camouflaged cameras for just this reason.

It is time for the Partnership and government to cut out the hype and begin to take road safety seriously.

STEPHEN SADLER, Valley Drive, Padiham.