SPEED cameras across Craven are used for safety reasons and not to raise funds for the police, says North Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner.

Last week, it was suggested that police forces could be upping the use of cameras to make up for a reduction in government funding.

But Julia Mulligan says even though the use of cameras has been increased from one to six in North Yorkshire, it has nothing to do with raising funds.

“The public have time and again told me that road safety is a top priority," she said.

"That feedback, combined with North Yorkshire’s high numbers of people who are killed and seriously injured on our roads, means there is no question we need to take more action."

Safety camera vans are sited in places notorious for speeding, such as Beamsley Hill, and in addition identify a range of other motoring offences, such as the use of mobile phones while driving.

"Our vans also don’t just look at speed, but safety more generally, such as not wearing seatbelts or using mobile phones," she said.

"Any money which the vans do raise, which is only about £30 from each Speed Awareness Course, goes straight back into road safety."

Any additional money was put into schemes such as Community Speed Watch - giving communities the ability to carry out their own speed checks.

Mrs Mulligan said vans would never be used just to raise money.

“Any approach to just generate money is frankly misguided. Safety, and specifically reducing the number of people killed or injured on our roads, has to be the focus."

The annual safety camera van report - giving details of how much money was raised during the year and where it was spent - is expected to be released before the end of the year.