A new spot speed camera installed which can monitor both directions of traffic at once has caught 681 speeding motorists in its first full week of operation on the A394 in Cornwall.
The VECTOR SR installation, funded by the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, went live on the 30 mph road at Longdowns near Falmouth on Tuesday, 8 February.
Among those detected, five have been referred to court, and 72 have been given points on their licence. Others were offered a speed awareness course.
The camera is the very latest advance in spot speed enforcement, because it doesn’t requires ’tiger teeth’ road markings and is non-invasive, meaning there is no need for in-road sensors, which significantly simplifies maintenance activities. Unlike older technologies, the system uses non-visible Infra-Red lighting, resulting in no distracting flashes of dazzling light, which is also a benefit for nearby residents.
“Jenoptik is known across the industry for delivering more than 200 accurate, reliable average speed enforcement schemes,” explained Deputy Managing Director Geoff Collins. “Our spot speed solution is ideal for improving road safety at known speeding hotspots, and I am pleased to see it having an immediate effect.
“However, I’m also disappointed that so many people have been detected speeding past the camera because that means drivers haven’t adjusted their behaviour appropriately. Hopefully as people realise it’s not worth breaking the limit, the numbers will come down and the road will be much safer for everyone.”
Cllr Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, commented that he was shocked by how many were caught in such a short space of time. “This should provide a stark warning to road users,” he said. “Speed limits are in place for a good reason, sadly too many people are injured on Cornwall’s roads. Everyone can make a positive impact by driving within the speed limit, and these cameras are a valuable tool in educating drivers to slow down.”
Supt Adrian Leisk, strategic lead for roads policing and chairman of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership’s enforcement subgroup, added, “I hope this goes some way to reassuring people across Devon and Cornwall that our speed cameras are fully operational and we are taking action against drivers who break the law.”
The next site due to be upgraded with Jenoptik’s VECTOR SR solution is the camera at Tregolls Road, Truro, which is likely to be operational during April 2022, and will capture red light offences as well as speeding drivers.
(Picture – Jenoptik)
