The West Midlands is to Gain More Speed Cameras

The West Midlands is about to see an increase in the number of speed cameras on the region’s roads, as the West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner hails them a “critical tool” in the fight against dangerous driving.

The move is part of the government’s overall plan to halve the number of deaths and serious injuries on the UK roads by 2030, and to achieve zero by 2040. It’s a big ask, given the number of vehicles on the UK’s roads, but the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) sees more speed cameras as the only real answer.

Specifically, the West Midlands is set to see an increase in the number of speed cameras at locations that pose the highest risk of death and injury to road users, as well as cameras being better maintained to ensure they can continue catching out speeding motorists. The move will also see the region lean on more technology. Spot cameras are one solution, which produce a clearer image of the vehicle and can even catch speeding vehicles travelling in both directions. They can also double as traffic light cameras to catch drivers who ignore red lights at junctions. The final move will be to just issue more fines, because, according to the WMCA, that will make more people go on a speed awareness course, leading to them becoming better drivers as a result.

The WMCA also sees average speed cameras as a key weapon against speeding motorists, with the West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner, Mat MacDonald, calling them a "critical tool" in the fight against speeding. MacDonald went on to say, “Rolling this technology out will without a doubt prevent collisions, save lives and make journeys less dangerous for everyone who uses our road network.”

Backing MacDonald in his quest is West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, who claims that speeding is a ‘blight’ on the region. “It's a tragedy that so many lives are lost on our roads each year.” he said. “The impact on victims' families is truly heartbreaking … Unfortunately, speeding and dangerous driving is blighting our region, which is why we are cracking down on those who are determined to use our streets as a racetrack."

Find the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com