New Newport traffic cameras leave residents scratching their heads
Cameras that appeared around a Shropshire town have left residents scratching their heads wondering what they are for.
The cameras even caused confusion on social media, with residents posting on the Facebook group Newport Shropshire News, Views and idle chit chat.
Matt Wall wrote, "Anyone know why cameras are being installed in Newport?
"One outside the railway and another as you come towards Newport just past the Aston. The seem to be facing the road."
Tracie Cherrington, also said: "Cameras are all over Newport, fixed to lamp posts, road signs etc. Are they filming something?"
Now it can be revealed that Big Brother is not watching Newport, as they were in fact traffic monitoring cameras.
Telford & Wrekin Council installed the camera in various places around the town to monitor the volume of traffic that travels through the town. They were taken down towards the end of the week.
The borough council hopes the study help improve traffic flow in the town, following a meeting held by Newport Town Council.
Nigel Newman, spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "We are measuring traffic volume and flows in Newport to help us with transport planning and planning of road improvement in the area."
Borough and town councillor, Peter Scott added: "The camera are the result of the town council's community safety meeting, where we discussed a number of issues including parking and speeding.
"There were a number of issues that we addressed and one was the volume of cars in the town.
"The cameras have been installed by Telford & Wrekin Council and they will access the amount of cars that comes through the town.
"From that we will will be able to work out the best way to manage traffic.
"We hope this will improve roads around Newport and it will highlight any of the dangers in the town.
"A lot of this has come from the ongoing issues around school parking in the town, mainly on Wellington Road and this may help with those issues.
"But the cameras are not speed cameras, as one gentleman did tell me he thought he had been caught the other day.
"They are simply there to monitor the amount of traffic in the town and hopefully improve the roads."
