Enforcement cameras which recognise a car jumping a red light and record its speed are being introduced in Merseyside.
The Merseyside Road Safety Partnership in northwest England is introducing a number of ‘speed on green’ cameras at various junctions across the region as part of a trial scheme aimed at reducing the number and severity of injury collisions.
The cameras will not only detect when a driver has gone through a red traffic light but will also record the speed of those vehicles travelling above the speed limit through the junction, regardless of the colour of the traffic light signal.
The idea is to catch people who speed up beyond the limit to get through a light before it turns red.
Jayne Eaton from the Safer Roads Unit at the Partnership said, “These cameras have the potential to improve safety on our roads by influencing the speed of drivers at junctions and reducing the risk of a crash. However, we would prefer if the cameras were redundant and drivers drove responsibly and within the speed limits.
“By their very nature, junctions present an increased risk to drivers. A green traffic light signal can often create an unpredictable situation for a driver to deal with and it is vitally important that drivers drive at an appropriate speed, one which enables them to stop safely should the traffic lights change or a pedestrian step into the road.”
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy added, “Far too many people lose their lives or suffer serious injury on our roads. We know that speed is a major factor in many of those collisions and that’s why, as we mark speed awareness month, we are looking for ways to encourage drivers to slow down – for their own safety and the safety of others.
“I hope that by implementing ‘speed on green’ cameras, more drivers will pay closer attention to their speed, make sure they are sticking to the limits and driving responsibly. It could be the difference between getting home safely or not getting home at all.”
A number of suitable junctions have been earmarked for the ‘speed on green’ cameras with the Sefton area being the first area to receive them and each will be clearly signposted as a speed camera for the locations across Merseyside.
