Speeds drop by 14% due to ‘average’ cameras
NEW average speed cameras in Birmingham and Solihull have helped slash speeds on roads by 14 per cent, according to new figures.
In particular, average speeds along the busy Hagley Road, in Edgbaston, had fallen by more than 20 per cent, according to the office for the police and crime commissioner.
The new cameras were installed last August as part of a 21-month trial and were switched on nearly three years after obsolete fixedpoint speed cameras were switched off.
Earlier this year it was revealed that 23,000 motorists were caught speeding in the first 12 months at the eight sites. The new figures show the cameras – which cost more than £1 million to install – are catching an average of 64 speeders every day.
Councillor Stewart Stacey, Cabinet Member for Transport and Roads at Birmingham City Council, said: “These cameras are not about making money, but about encouraging motorists to think about and change their behaviour on the roads, to make them safer for all who use them.
“These figures for the first 12 months are extremely encouraging as they show that motorists are taking notice and, crucially, modifying the way they drive.
“There is no excuse for speeding and if you drive inconsiderately then you can rightly expect to receive a penalty notice.”