'The number of fixed penalty notices issued in Suffolk has increased by over 300 percent since 1997- on the basis that each of these fines brought in £60, the Government will have raked in over £1.8million in fines from motorists in 2007 alone'

David Ruffley MP has today released new figures which reveal that convictions for speeding offences in Suffolk have increased by over 200 percent since 1997.

The new figures were released in answer to David's questioning of Alan Campbell, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office.

In 1997 1,052 individuals were convicted of speeding offences in Suffolk, in 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, this number stood at 3,577.

In addition, the number of fixed penalty notices issued for speed limit offences increased from 7,271 to 30,378 between 1997 and 2007, the latest year for which figures are available.

David said:

'The number of fixed penalty notices issued in Suffolk has increased by over 300 percent since 1997- on the basis that each of these fines brought in £60, the Government will have raked in over £1.8million in fines from motorists in 2007 alone.

'Under Labour fixed speed cameras have almost trebled. The truth is the revenue they generate is blinding the Government to the proven merits of other better ways to keep our roads safe: driver education, vehicle activated signs and traffic police.

'Suffolk Constabulary does an excellent job policing our roads and we need to ensure that they receive the revenue they need to continue to do so. I am determined to see that Labour's over reliance on the fixed speed camera does not spread further in Suffolk. Our main objective must be making Suffolk's roads safer and not filling government coffers.'