A CAMPAIGNING councillor has spoken of the importance of speed cameras after he witnessed a young man being cut from the wreckage of a fatal crash.

Peter May, Canvey Independent Party member, was one of the key figures who campaigned for the £700,000 scheme along Canvey Way to be introduced.

Mr May has joined the argument into the importance of speed measures after the Echo revealed last week a single camera at the Fortune of War on the A127 near Laindon raked in £1.2million of fines in the past three years.

While many went on to say the figures prove cameras are used as “cash cows”, Mr May claims watching the deadly crash which killed 24-year-old Wayne Bailey proves such safety measures are vital.

The youngster, of Gwendalen Avenue, Canvey, was killed in a head-on crash on Canvey Way, after his black Ford Fiesta collided with a flatbed lorry.

Mr May was driving to work at 5am on the fatal morning back in January 2008.

He said: “I was first on the scene and I can’t even describe what I saw, it’s too horrific to relive. It was awful, me and another driver waited for the ambulance to come, but it was too late. I have got to live with that memory for the rest of my life.

“The worst part was this young man’s parents were on holiday at the time so they had to hear about it over the phone. I’m a parent myself and if that happened to me I would be absolutely devastated.

“I fought for the cameras on Canvey Way. After what I saw I swore blind I was going to stop crashes down there.”

The Canvey Way scheme, which saw a new 50mph speed limit and average speed cameras was introduced in 2009.

Figures obtained from the Essex Safety Camera Partnership earlier this year show the number of serious accidents since has plummeted by 86 per cent, while the number of slight collisions fell by 83 per cent.

Mr May added: “I don’t agree with all speed cameras, but along Canvey Way there is definitely a justified case for them.

The road was a speed trap but people no longer tear down there like they used to.

“As well as that, the lower speed limit has actually helped reduce congestion.”