SPEED cameras, funded by parking fines, have resulted in a 44 per cent drop in injuries from road accidents over 12 months.

The initiative, in its second year in the Cleveland area, is part of a national trial to see if speeding and accidents on high risk roads can be reduced by cameras.

Cleveland councils, in partnership with the police and magistrates' courts, identified 33 target roads in the four boroughs for the programme.

As well as showing a 44 per cent reduction in injuries, figures reveal that speeds have also reduced, leading to a 33 per cent drop in serious accidents. The number of drivers speeding on the target roads fell from 62 per cent to 30 per cent across Cleveland.

Funds from 27,000 fixed penalties were used to finance the scheme's first year.

Neil Ellison, Stockton Borough Council's road safety team leader, said: "In terms of speed and casualty reduction, the scheme has been a big success so far.

"We couldn't have hoped to achieve these reductions so quickly by any other means.

"This means a lot less pain, grief and suffering to people on our roads."

Acting Superintendent Mick Bennett, of Cleveland Police, said: "We have always said that excessive speed kills and injures people, and the results show what can be done if drivers drive within the limits.

"I would like to think these figures will silence our critics."