Speed cameras start on bypass
AVERAGE speed cameras along the Tarleton Bypass go live today (Thursday).
The cameras were installed over recent months, with the speed now limited to 50mph on the entire stretch before Tarleton lights.
According to Lancashire police, the stretch of road, which now covers 3.7miles of the A565 from Gravel Lane to the junction at Tarleton, is one of the county’s worst accident blackspots and the change is designed to save lives.
In the past six years, 13 people have died on these roads, while there have also been 406 casualties and 62 people suffering serious or life changing injuries.
Following the installation of the cameras, a period of testing has been carried out.
Rather than just measuring speed over a short distance, the average speed cameras use number plate recognition technology to measure how long it takes cars to travel between each camera, meaning drivers cannot simply slow down when they see a camera and then return to a higher speed.
Drivers caught driving too fast face £100 fixed penalty notices plus three points on their driving licences, with those guilty of higher speeds being summoned to appear in court.
Research by the RAC Foundation showed that the numbers of fatal and serious collisions decreases by around a third after average speed cameras are introduced. Research will be conducted on the eight blackspots where cameras have been fitted in the county to review speed data, traffic flow and casualty information to see how well the new cameras are working. Clive Grunshaw, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, said: “In an ideal world drivers would observe the speed limit and we would never have speed related casualties and deaths; but we all know that is not the case.
“Evidence shows that speed is often a factor in road deaths and serious collisions, so these measures should help to save lives.”
Lancashire Constabulary’s assistant chief constable, Tim Jacques, said: “Our primary aim is for all drivers to adhere to the speed limit on our roads, therefore reducing the risk of collisions and making our roads safer for all to use.
“It is well documented that speeding does kill, but we know that a combination of education, enforcement and engineering solutions can save lives and reduce the number of people seriously injured on the county’s roads.
“Using average speed cameras is just one way that can help us achieve further steps ‘Towards Zero Lancashire’ – preventing all collisions that result in death and serious injury.”