POOLE’S most unpopular speed camera at Holes Bay is set for the chop.

The speed on green device, which snaps motorists driving through the traffic lights at more than 30mph, has caused huge controversy since it was introduced in 2009.

Campaigners dubbed it ‘greed on green’ and a ‘cash cow’ when it emerged the camera was on course to generate £1m from fines in its first year.

It has proved so contentious that Poole council has now proposed it be shut down in a move driven by funding cuts.

Cllr Ron Parker, the council’s portfolio holder for transport, said: “It is likely that the Holes Bay camera will be going.

“We know residents are far from happy about the camera.”

Cllr Parker stressed the Holes Bay camera proposal was subject to consultation with the county’s other road safety partners, including Dorset Road Safe and Dorset Police.

All of Dorset’s local authorities have received savage cuts to their road safety grants from the government.

This has meant a drastic funding reduction for Dorset Road Safe, the county’s speed camera organisation.

It was indicated back in the autumn that just 20 fixed camera sites could remain, while the speed on green sites were due to be slashed from 13 to just six.

It now seems likely that the Holes Bay site, which has witnessed just one serious accident since 1999, will be one of the cameras switched off.

Department of Transport figures suggest that in areas where speed cameras have been switched off or axed recently, road deaths have actually dropped.

Dorset Road Safe emphasised that there would remain a speed camera presence in the county – for the next financial year, at least.

But they added that the final proposals for the number and location of cameras was still being finalised with the councils, police and other partners.