An MP has spoken out after plans for an average speed camera on a busy Oxfordshire road were scrapped.

Freddie Van Mierlo, the MP for Henley and Thame, has written to the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber after plans for a new camera on the A420 in Oxfordshire were turned down, says the Oxford Mail. 

Mr Van Mierlo expressed disappointment at the decision while highlighting growing frustration over speeding and a lack of visible enforcement. 

Thames Valley Police had previously confirmed that Oxfordshire County Council agreed to cover a significant portion of the installation costs.

However, the remaining police contribution and ongoing maintenance costs were deemed too high by the force.

Mr Van Mierlo said:

“Speeding and reckless or dangerous driving was identified in your own Crime Survey as the crime most frequently experienced directly by respondents. It is also one of the issues most frequently raised with my office by constituents, parish councils, and community groups.”

Despite police analysis not identifying speeding as a consistent factor in the majority of collisions, Mr Van Mierlo, alongside a council officer, believes speeding on the A420 was a major contributing factor.

He described the decision as a “significant missed opportunity,” particularly given the county council’s willingness to contribute financially.

Mr Van Mierlo added:

“I believe the introduction of this technology into Oxfordshire could have represented an important pilot that could then be replicated in the Henley and Thame constituency.”

The MP also questioned why Oxfordshire does not currently have an operational average speed camera system, despite the technology’s successful use elsewhere.

(Picture: Mapillary)