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Find out what people in
Maidstone think of the idea.

by political editor Paul
Francis

Speed cameras across Kent are
to be used to catch motorists using their mobile phone or not
wearing seatbelts.

The move follows a four-month
trial in Medway between November and February 2009.

That was regarded as successful in
encouraging more motorists to wear their seatbelts, although the
impact on mobile phone use was more mixed.

During the trial carried out in
Medway, about 100 offences involving mobile phones and seatbelt
use were detected on camera each month.

Now county councillors have backed
plans by the Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership that mean
motorists caught by speed cameras across the county without a
seatbelt or using a phone will face prosecution.

According to a report on the trial
in Medway, about one per cent of all drivers were observed using
their mobile phones.

When it came to wearing seatbelts,
the Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership said about 95 per
cent of motorists observed complied with the law in the trial,
compared to about 90 per cent before the experiment.

There will be a major publicity
drive before the scheme is formally extended across the county.

During a four-day crackdown with
Kent Police in February, more than 250 drivers and passengers were
detected not wearing seatbelts and nearly 50 drivers were caught
using a mobile phone.

A mobile phone offence carries a
£60 fine and three points and a seatbelt offence results in a £30
fine. Drivers are fined if children under 14 are not belted up.