THEY may be hated, but speed cameras do save lives, according to figures released this week by the department of transport.

And Wiltshire's Safety Camera Partnership has expressed "quiet satisfaction" that Wiltshire is following the national trend, with fewer people killed or injured at sites where safety cameras are operating.

Transport secretary Alistair Darling announced on Tuesday that the number of people killed or seriously injured at sites where cameras were in use had fallen by 40 per cent, which equates to at least 100 fewer deaths a year.

Cameras also helped reduce the speed of vehicles by seven per cent.

In south Wiltshire, the safety camera partnership operates seven fixed camera sites - four on the notorious A303, one at north Tidworth on the A338 and two on the A36 at South Newton and Thoulstone, near Wylye.

Dave Frampton, manager of the safety partnership, said the partnership had calculated that the number of people killed or seriously injured on stretches of roads covered by cameras had dropped by 73.9 per cent.

Mr Frampton said the figures released by the department of transport included all accidents where someone was injured, however slight the injuries.

He said: "We are pleased with the figures, which follow the first full year of operation in Wiltshire.

"Although there has been a big decrease, we still need to reduce the number of people killed on our roads.

"Although speed is a factor in many of the accidents, it is not the only cause and speed cameras are not the only answer," he said.

"I know people hate the cameras, but if they help to save lives and help stop families having to grieve over lost loved ones, then they are something we are all going to have to live with."

Mr Frampton said four fixed sites were on the A303 because of its "appalling accident record".

There was also concern at the number of accidents on another notorious road through south Wiltshire, the A36, which has two fixed sites.

Nationally, the department of transport figures show that the number of people speeding at camera sites dropped by 71 per cent.

The figures also showed that fewer people were injured, with a 33 per cent fall in injury accidents of all types.

Mr Darling said: "These figures prove that cameras save lives."