THE beady eye of a speed camera could be coming to a problem area near you that is the latest message from Thames Valley Police.

The force will place at least one more speed camera in each district in the Thames Valley area and two in Wycombe "hot spots".

There are 320 sites targeted by speed cameras but only 21 cameras get moved around the Thames Valley area. Now problem areas, which have high rates of serious accidents and speeding, will be targeted by the new cameras and police officers will be armed with more mobile cameras.

Inspector Malcolm Collis, based at Bicester traffic unit, said Thames Valley Police was one of only eight forces in the country to pilot the Safer Roads Campaign which included the use of the motorist's dreaded enemy the Gatso speed cameras.

But said: "Because of the success of the pilot scheme in bringing down accident rates by 5.1 per cent last year in the area, the project will continue and there will be extra cameras.

"People always winge and say why aren't we out fighting proper crime when we stop them but go to the scene of an accident or something and they are the first to come to their door and say 'why don't you have a speed camera here?'."

The force would be able to reap some of the cash made from the cameras. It has faced criticism that it might divert resources into making more money from the cameras,taking officers from other crime-fighting duties. Insp Collis said: "It will free up more officers so there can be more out on patrol."