SETTING up speed traps on the M4 is not about milking motorists of their hard-earned cash but saving their lives, it was claimed yesterday.

The decision by the Wiltshire and Swindon Safety Camera Partnership to begin targeting speeding traffic on the 53kms of the motorway that passes through Wiltshire has caused ructions nationally.

But at the official launch at the county enforcement depot at junction 15 of the M4 yesterday members of the partnership including Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire County Council are resolute they are only trying to save lives not raise revenue.

The partnership's camera vans will now monitor the motorway from seven motorway bridges along its length in the county at 8.3km east of junction 17, 3.1km east of junction 17, 8.4km west of junction 16, 3km east of junction 16, on junction 15 itself then 6.9km east and 1.8km west of the junction.

But they are not planning any increase in the seven vans that already monitor other roads in the county and are confident that the workload of staff who process fines will not increase beyond what they can cope with.

Dave Frampton, the former police inspector who manages the safety camera unit, said: "I sincerely hope we won't have to administer any fines as a result of this initiative. The best way to avoid paying fines is not to speed.

"We are not out to get anyone. We are targeting excessive or inappropriate speeds on the motorway. We will comply with guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers and allow motorists leeway of ten per cent plus 2mph, which means that no one travelling at 79mph or less will be targeted."

Mr Frampton said the partnership has been set a target of reducing deaths and serious injuries on county roads by 40 per cent and they will not be able to do that without turning their attention to the motorway.

The number of people killed or

seriously injured on the M4 in Wiltshire has risen from 19 in 1999 to 29 last year, an increase of 24 per cent. Fatalities on the Wiltshire stretch of the M4 now account for 12 per cent of the county annual total.

And motorists will not be able to complain they have not been warned. Large signs have been put up on all slip roads and on the county boundaries, alerting traffic to the existence of the safety camera monitoring.

But the Association of British Drivers has condemned the move as a way of getting revenue out of drivers without alienating local voters.

Nigel Humphries, a spokesman for the organisation, said: "As usual with camera partnerships, Wiltshire justifies its actions by simply quoting the number of accidents that have occurred in a three-year period.

"But they make no attempt to explain why these accidents happened, or to demonstrate why slowing people from 85mph to 75mph will make any difference. Anyone can see that accidents on motorways are caused by inattention, tailgating and changing lanes without looking."

Mr Frampton said: "I don't deny that these things are factors, but the police have investigated the cause of all the fatal crashes we have had on the M4 and they say the vast majority are speed related. You just can't ignore the causes of this slaughter on our roads."