Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Average speed cameras will reduce crash stats’
THE installation of average speed cameras on the A90 will reduce crashes and improve driver behaviour, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has said.
Cameras are to be erected over 50 miles between Dundee and Stonehaven, following the installation of similar systems on the A9 and A77.
Since 2012, 11 people have died in crashes on the A90 and the route has among the highest collision rates in the country. The £2 million camera system is set to be up and running by October, with 15 cameras installed on both sides of the carriageway.
Critics of average speed cameras believe they are more about making money through fines than improving safety, but figures from the A9 show the number of fatal and serious-injury casualties has fallen by around 40% since cameras were introduced on the Perth to Inverness road in 2014.
Mr Yousaf, who met with businesses and local councils along the A90 to discuss the system, said: “Average speed cameras are about road safety, and these systems have been a proven success. Unfortunately, the A90 consistently features as one of the trunk roads in Scotland with the highest collision statistics.
“We know that more than three in every five vehicles between Dundee and Stonehaven are speeding, with one in five exceeding the limit by more than 10mph.
“Eleven people have lost their life on the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven since 2012. Any death on our roads is one too many, and I look forward to seeing similar results on the A90 as we’ve seen on the A77 and A9 in reducing casualties and improving driver behaviour.
“With the improved driver behaviour that average speed cameras bring, we will also see a significant reduction in the number of drivers receiving fines and penalties.”