Average speed cameras installed along four roads in Warwickshire could reduce accidents by nearly half, the council has been told.

The Stratford-upon-Avon Herald reports that the cameras have cost the county council more than £1m although it is hoped they can be used in different locations if they are found to be ineffective at any of the chosen sites. They have been installed on the A435 between Studley and Alcester, the A426 between its junction with the A5 and M6, the A428 through Brandon and a four-mile stretch of the A446 between the A38 and A4091 near to The Belfry.

It quotes David Ayton-Hill, the county council’s assistant director for communities, as saying that the four locations were selected because they featured consistently on the annually lists of routes with a poor safety records.

He told the communities overview and scrutiny meeting: “This is a pilot, we want to run them for 12 months and we will be monitoring personal injury collisions to see what difference these average speed cameras are making.

“Anecdotal evidence says they are making a difference and the view is that speeds have reduced across those routes but we want to have that firm evidence.

“If they are seen to have had an impact then we will see about rolling them out. They are expensive pieces of kit so we have to be careful and make sure we put them in the places where they will have the biggest impact.”

(File picture – Jenoptik)