Mobile speed cameras to crack down on Shropshire speeders at new sites
Mobile speed cameras will be used at two new sites in Shropshire to clamp down on speeding motorists, police have announced.
A busy street in Ironbridge and rural roads south of Oswestry have been designated as two new official speed enforcement areas by West Mercia Police, meaning they could be monitored by mobile speed cameras anytime from next week.
The new sites will launch from Monday and will form part of the Safer Roads Partnership's community concern programme, which responds to requests for speed enforcement from those living in a specific area, or in a close cluster of villages.
The first new speed enforcement site will be Waterloo Street in Ironbridge, after data collected by the partnership found a "significant" speeding problem. In a survey of traffic speeds, the partnership found almost 70 per cent of drivers were exceeding the 30mph speed limit on the street, with 15 per cent travelling at about 40mph or above.
The second new site is at a "cluster" of villages near Oswestry, including Maesbury, Maesbury Marsh and Trefonen.
In Maesbury, 15 per cent of vehicles were found to be travelling above about 41mph and more than 60 per cent were exceeding the 30mph speed limit. In Maesbury Marsh, 15 per cent were found to be travelling above about 38mph and more than half of all drivers exceeding 30mph. In Trefonen, 15 per cent were found to be travelling above 36.5mph and more than 40 per cent above 30mph.
In both Ironbridge and the Maesbury area residents had raised concerns through their local council, which then brought it to the attention of the Safer Roads Partnership and asked for action to be taken. Anna Higgins, communications manager for the partnership, said the creation of the new sites was a direct response to those concerns.
She said: "We are launching these new sites in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to address the high level of concern in each of the local communities. Data collected has highlighted unacceptably high speeds and local people are understandably concerned as each of the roads are near residential or highly populated areas.
"We hope that the presence of a speed camera will encourage drivers to change their behaviour and drive at a lower, safer speed. This will help to improve the quality of life for people living in both areas, reduce the risk of harm, and improve the safety of the roads for all those who use them."
