Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership has taken delivery of a fifth mobile speed enforcement vehicle. Unlike the existing fleet of now familiar vans, the newest mobile speed enforcement vehicle is a motorcycle. The motorcycle will enable the Partnership to enforce speed limits in locations that the vans are unable to work in. This will contribute to the Partnership’s ongoing work to improve safety on Warwickshire’s roads.
The police motorcycle has been specially adapted to operate the same equipment that is used in the enforcement vans. The speed camera is mounted on a pole attached to the back of the motorcycle. A video recorder and battery are stored in the bikes panniers. It will be used to enforce the speed limit from fixed locations. All of the Partnership’s camera sites, including the daily mobile enforcement locations can be found at www.smilecamera.co.uk.
The mobile enforcement vans operated by Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership cannot be used in some locations that would benefit from a speed camera due to there not being a suitable off road site to park. Reasons for this include concern that parking the van may cause a hazard by restricting other vehicles view of the road when turning, or there not being a location where the van would be clearly visible to motorists. Typically the locations the vans cannot enforce at are built up areas or rural villages on main roads where local residents are desperate for action to be taken to slow traffic down.
Safety cameras have proved an exceedingly successful means of improving road safety. Recently released figures show a significant reduction in both vehicle speeds and the number of casualties at camera sites. In 2004 there were 49% fewer people killed or seriously injured at Warwickshire’s camera sites when compared to the annual average for the period 1994-98. It is hoped that the new motorcycle will help the Partnership to reduce casualty numbers on Warwickshire’s roads even further.
Chief Superintendent Jon Bond, Partnership Chairman said:
“I don’t want people to be detected speeding, I want safer roads. The new motorcycle based mobile enforcement unit will help us achieve this by allowing us to enforce at locations that we have been unable to operate at in the past. I hope that motorists who continue to choose to drive above the speed limit will take notice of this warning and slow down because the introduction of the motorcycle means there is now an even greater risk of being detected.”
Sites that Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership are hoping to use the motorcycle include:
· Arbury Road, Nuneaton
· A423 Marton
· Castle Lane, Kenilworth
· B4065 Ansty
The motorcycle will also be used at existing camera sites which are normally enforced by the vans.
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