Static speed cameras are not used in Durham

The Durham force uses a network of mobile cameras to trap speeding drivers.

But a road safety charity has criticised Durham's chief constable, Paul Garvin, and called on the government to order the force to rethink its position.

In 2002, 42 people died on County Durham's roads - an increase of 56% on the previous year.

The force says the figure is a "blip" and remains confident its approach of using mobile and hand-held cameras is a more effective long-term solution to speeding.

Government figures show forces who have used static and mobile speed cameras, have seen road deaths fall dramatically.

Neighbouring Cleveland saw a 53% fall in road deaths during a two-year trial, which involved eight forces, but not Durham.

The road safety charity Brake, says the government should compel Durham to establish a Safety Camera Partnership (SCP), which focuses on the use of both static and mobile cameras, to cut road deaths.

The Durham force has instead established a Casualty Reduction Partnership (CRP), which it says relies less on the use of speed cameras and more on education and promotion of road safety issues.

But Ben Heathly, policy officer with Brake, said: "Durham is the one area that has rejected setting up an SCP.

"Mobile speed cameras could save lives, but it is naive to exclude static cameras as well.

"All the evidence points to the fact that a strategy using static cameras within a SCP saves lives."

But a spokesman for Durham Police said: "Half a dozen other forces don't have fixed cameras yet.

'Unfortunate blip'

"It is up to each force to do what it feels necessary to do for its own area. Other forces think fixed cameras are the way to go.

"We do not believe fixed speed cameras are the answer to speeding problems in this area.

"We have other methods that we think work better.

"Road deaths went up last year, we know that and that was a blip and it was unfortunate. But the long-term trend is down and it will continue to go down."

Eight UK police forces took part in the government-backed trial of speed cameras. Of those three saw road deaths rise

Those included Lincolnshire, which saw the biggest fall of any English force, with 62% fewer road deaths.

But it says it is now moving towards more extensive use of mobile cameras as an effective way of keeping deaths down.

A force spokesman said: "Static cameras are effective for black spot areas, but mobile cameras are important to maintain a downward trend and maintain lower speeds."