Express & Star

New speed cameras to be switched on in West Midlands

New speed cameras will be installed and switched on in part of the West Midlands next month, it has been confirmed.

Published

A plan to reintroduce camera speed enforcement on the roads of Birmingham and Solihull was formally agreed late last year. Now the final preparations are complete and the cameras are ready to be installed three years after obsolete wet film devices were last used locally.

They will come into force on July 18. The project is being led by Birmingham City Council, Solihull Council, West Midlands Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

They have decided to adopt a system using average speed cameras because historically compliance with speed limits is far better than with mobile or fixed-point cameras.

The new cameras detect vehicles through automatic number plate recognition and calculate their average speed by measuring the time taken to travel between defined points.

There will be clear signing so drivers will be aware when they are entering an average speed control zone.

Superintendent Kerry Blakeman, from West Midlands Police, said: "Our intention is for people to adhere to the speed limit. Those who exceed the limit will have to attend a speed awareness course where they will be educated about the dangers of speeding or face either an appearance at court or a fine and points on their licence."

The cameras will be operational for five years. There will be an initial 21-month evaluation phase.

In Birmingham they will be installed on the A38 Bristol Road between Priory Road and Speedwell Road, the A456 Hagley Road between Portland Road and Lordswood Road, the A4540 New John Street between Lucas Circus and Hospital Street, the A34 Newtown Row northbound between New John Street West and Newbury Road and A45 Coventry Road between Berkley Road and Rowland Road/Steyning Road.

In Solihull, they will be in place on the B425 Lode Lane, between Henley Crescent and Moat Lane, the B4114 Bradford Road/Chester Road and the A3400 Stratford Road at Hockley Heath.

Latest figures show that in the years 2010-2014, there were 2,356 people killed or seriously injured on roads in Birmingham and Solihull, an average of 471.2 per year.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.