New speed cameras could be on the way
Speed cameras could be rolled out across the Black Country following a successful trial in other areas of the region.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson says he is in talks with councils in Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton to see if they are willing to part-fund the scheme.
It follows a pilot in Birmingham and Solihull, which police say has led to a marked reduction in speeding.
Combined with mobile units and smart motorway cameras, the average speed cameras issued £8 million in fines over the trial period, which is due to continue until February next year.
The cameras can be fixed at certain hotspots and moved around when necessary.
A report to the force’s Strategic Crime and Policing board noted a drastic increase in recorded offences in the first two months that the cameras went live.
The number of offences detected rose from 4,000 in July to 12,000 in August and around 8,500 in September.
However, the report shows that by October the number of offences had fallen ‘back to normality’ at around the 4,500 mark. Mr Jamieson, who is an advocate of average speed cameras, said: “Speed is one of the biggest causes of deaths on the road and one of the biggest issues that local people raise with me on a daily basis.
“What we are doing now is talking to the other councils in the Black Country and Coventry as well, to see if those councils also want that type of speeding enforcement on the roads.
“They can provide the hardware, we will do the enforcement and that will make life safer for all road users.”
By processing and enforcing fines, Mr Jamieson said it proved the police were ‘on the side of the overwhelming majority of motorists who drive safely and sensibly’.
“If other local councils want speed cameras, I will ensure West Midlands Police enforce them,” he said.
Chief Inspector Kerry Blakeman said that use of the cameras was about encouraging drivers to reduce their speed and was ‘not about income generation’. He said he expected the full results of the pilot scheme to show an overall reduction in average speeds.
“We will then take a view from other local authorities to see how they wish to proceed,” he added.
Average speed cameras are generally placed in spots where traffic speed has been identified as raising safety concerns. The old film speed cameras across the Black Country were switched off in 2013 as they were costing too much money.
