Average speed cameras improve road safety on A449 Worcestershire

Average speed cameras have been a familiar site on the A449 in Worcestershire for almost a year now and West Mercia Police is taking the opportunity to highlight the impact they have made to the safety of the road, and remind motorists to adhere to the 50mph speed limit, which is enforced 24 hours a day.

The average speed cameras went live on the 50mph stretch of the A449 Hartlebury – Ombersley on 31st October 2021 and aim to reduce speeds, improve safety and reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured.

In the ten months since (Nov 2021 – August 2022), 6106 viable speeding offences have been detected and one slight injury collision has been recorded. Speed data collected at the end of the first six month period of operation (Nov 21-Apr 22) highlighted a reduction in both the average speed of traffic and the 85th percentile speed*.

The project is a partnership between West Mercia Police, Worcestershire County Council and speed technology firm Jenoptik and was made possible through funding from West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner Road Safety Fund.

The cameras differ from traditional ‘spot speed’ cameras by monitoring a vehicle’s average speed over a stretch of road rather than at a single, fixed location. Drivers are less likely to brake suddenly for a camera and are more likely to keep their speed down over a longer period, throughout the monitored zone.

Between April 2018 – October 2021, there were 3 fatal, 4 serious and 5 slight injury collisions on the 50mph section of the A449. Since November 2021, there has been one slight injury collision.

Superintendent Steph Brighton, West Mercia Police said “We are pleased to see reductions in both speed and in people killed and seriously injured on the A449 in Worcestershire and this was exactly what this project set out to achieve. However, we are not complacent and we will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of this scheme as well as working with our partners to identify ways to maintain the safety of the road, to ensure we keep communities safe and protect people from harm. We urge all motorists to help us by driving or riding safely, complying with the speed limit and sharing the road responsibly.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion said: “I am pleased to see the average speed cameras, I have funded, having a direct impact on improving road safety on the A449 in Worcestershire with a reduction in speed and in people killed and seriously injured.

“Too many people die or are seriously injured on our roads due to inappropriate speed and driver behaviour. The data recorded over the past 10 months proves that the cameras are playing in a key role in influencing and changing driver behaviour in a positive way. Through my Safer Roads fund, I will continue to work closely with residents, local councils and partners to invest in schemes that make roads in West Mercia safer.”

Ongoing evaluation will continue and will inform future decisions over how this technology can be used in other areas of West Mercia.

*To determine the speed of vehicles travelling on a road, we use the industry standard of the 85th percentile speed. This is the speed that 85% of vehicles travel at or below under free flow conditions.