POLICE on the beat in South West Fife have hit back at motorists claiming speed cameras are "money-making machines".

The message from local officers in response to this is very simple: "Stop speeding then?"

That was posted on Twitter on Monday afternoon as part of a short series of remarks aimed at drivers who have expressed their anger and frustration on social media at seeing the safety camera units dotted around the Kingdom and across Scotland.

On the South West Fife Police account, officers offered responses to some of the usual commentary that appears on Facebook.

"We've said it before, but the usual comments still crack us up," officers said.

"'Christmas bonus time' - We don't get one.

"'Funding their ball' - Yes, it's 1980s New York...

"'Should be catching murderers' - (safety cameras) not manned by police officers.

"'Money-making machines" - Stop speeding then?"

Safety Cameras Scotland is supported by the Scottish Safety Camera Programme and Police Scotland and operates speed and red-light cameras across the country.

It is divided into three Safety Camera Units; the East (which includes Fife), North and West who each manage their respective areas. The cameras used are a combination of fixed, mobile, average speed and red light camera sites.