Speeding in Britain turns political

LONDON, April 13 (UPI) -- The issue of speeding on one of England's busiest highways has been dragged into the political arena in the run-up to Britain's May 5 elections.

The Labor government recently funded a project to put speed detection cameras in marked vans along a 40-mile straight stretch of the M4 highway as a deterrent to speeding.

Those caught exceeding the 70 mph limit face fines of $110 and three penalty points on their license.

But a Conservative candidate claims the new scheme was put in place only for "money-making reasons."

Taking it a step further, candidate James Gray said if the Conservatives won the election, they would raise the speed limit on highways to 80 mph, Sky News reported Wednesday.

However, Gray was careful to hedge his opinion.

"If speed cameras are designed to reduce accidents, then I support them," Gray said. "However if they are designed to raise revenues for the government or to be politically correct -- saying 'Aren't we being good, putting up speed cameras?' -- then I don't."