My feeling is that driving too fast is in fact, on the whole, the more dangerous type of offence. We are actually more likely to be injured in a road accident than in a mugging, and potentially cars are the most lethal instrument of death around.

And it seems to me that going after road-hogs is actually a win-win situation. If it cuts down offending, that is a benefit in itself for society. Even if its success in doing that is limited, that means it can actually bring in cash, which can in principle pay for extra personnel, and provide additional resources for dealing with other types of crime. And it shouldn't draw police away from that kind of work, because there isn't any need to use trained police to deal with drivers who have been spotted by a speed camera.)