ACCIDENTS on the county's roads are claiming an average of a life a week.

Now Wiltshire police have formed a new squad to crackdown on speeding motorists and reduce the death toll.

Three roving vans with mobile speed cameras and a trailer-mounted automatic camera will be used around the county at accident blackspots.

And the project will be funded from the £60 fines levied on speeding motorists.

The scheme was launched at Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital where accident and emergency consultant Ian Kendall gave it his backing.

He said his department sees at least one major speed-related road casualty a week and he endorsed anything which would reduce the death toll on local roads.

Mr Kendall said: "If you are in a crash at high speed you are likely to sustain very serious injuries which could have long-term consequences like permanent disability.

"Hopefully the safety camera project will mean fewer people suffering injuries and fewer people needing hospital treatment."

Wiltshire Chief Constable Elizabeth Neville said that the new initiative was not a "stealth tax" on motorists and is not even aimed at catching speeding drivers.

She said: "We don't want to catch people. We want to slow people down because slowing people down will save lives.

"There are many drivers who don't see anything wrong with exceeding the speed limit when the road is clear and in good weather conditions.

"But when something goes wrong that excessive speed becomes a big factor.

"If you're lucky you'll just get a few points on your licence if you're unlucky you'll have a lifetime of pain and guilt."

Initially four new officers will be deployed on the scheme which will be fully operational by the middle of June. Cameras will target the main A-roads around Swindon such as the A303, A36, A350, A4361, A4, A361 and A419.

They will be clearly sign-posted up to a kilometre away and their locations will also be publicised in the Press.

Ms Neville said a similar scheme has already been implemented in Northamptonshire and proved effective.

Wiltshire police are aiming to cut by 40 per cent the number of road deaths by 2010.