Speed cameras deployed over concerns of road fatalities rise
Sergeant Paul McIntosh, of NorthumbriaPolice,said:“We often have residents contacting us about speeding in their community,butoftentheroad in question does not meet the criteria for the deployment of the van.
“The criteria were introduced to ensure the van could be deployed in areas where we could evidence that speeding was leading to an increase in collisions.
“But many residents complained that authorities were waiting for a serious or fatal collision to take place before we carried out enforcement on their street.
“This was never the case and where concerns were reported we would instead look to utilise neighbourhood officers and community speedwatch to affect driving behaviour.
"However,wehavebeenreviewingourmobilevandeployments and believe Operation Modero could address those concerned about speeding in their community.”
Road fatalities across Northumbria rose last year to the highest levels since 2009 with39peoplekilledcompared to 42 a decade earlier.
TheNSRIinitiativeisapartnership between the police and the six local authorities in the area.
Cllr Michael Mordey, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council and cabinet member for environment and transport, added: “This operation will allow more flexibility for Northumbria Police to enforce locations where community concerns have been raised about speeding motorists, particularly as road traffic is returning to levels prior to COVID-19 lockdown."
Speeding concerns in your neighbourhood can be reported online on the Tell Us Something pages of the force’s www. northumbria.police.uk website.