Over 220,000 speeding motorists have been caught in the 12 months since the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership launched its new enforcement strategy on the county’s roads.
Of these more than 32,200 offences were detected at 40 new enforcement sites which were introduced in direct response to public concerns.
In February 2023, the Safety Camera Partnership, which consists of the five West Yorkshire local authority highways teams and West Yorkshire Police, launched its new camera strategy in to encourage safe speeds in support of Vision Zero.
Two main changes introduced were the introduction of safety cameras at spots in response to community concerns about speeding. This means that where community concerns of speeding are supported by traffic flow data, the use of cameras is no longer reliant on there being a history of collisions.
The deployment of mobile enforcement vans in these locations has typically resulted in significant reduction in offence captures over time which suggests the unpredictable, periodic enforcement of speed limits at these locations is having a positive effect on speed compliance.
Some sites of concern are also being enforced without the presence of signs warning of speed enforcement. This approach is aimed at encouraging safe speeds across the network and not simply in the vicinity of established enforcement locations.
Excessive or inappropriate speed is one of the most common factors in fatal and serious injury collisions.
West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership is working with the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Partnership and aims to eliminate all avoidable road fatalities and serious injuries by 2040, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all road users. This ambition is known as Vision Zero.
In 2022, 65 people were killed as a result of collisions which was the highest figure since 2018 (70). A further 5,716 people injured as a result for collisions in West Yorkshire.
Provisional data for 2023 indicates that 49 people were killed and 5,466 people were injured which shows some improvement, but the fact remains that any death or injury on the transport network is unacceptable.
Paul Jeffrey, West Yorkshire Police lead for the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, said: “Excessive or inappropriate speed is a real issue in many communities and our new approach has enabled us to be more responsive to local community concerns and act before speeding leads to a crash and potentially loss of life.
“We have made a clear commitment in West Yorkshire to address the human tragedy of road death and injury on our roads. The presence of our vans has been welcomed by those residents who care about road safety, and we have seen significant reductions in the numbers of offences detected following our deployments.
“Improving compliance with speed limits is a core aim in preventing speed-related collisions.
“Since the launch of the strategy, enforcement has been undertaken at over 40 sites following concerns being expressed by local communities and over 70 more are currently being assessed.
Police say drivers caught speeding can expect to be prosecuted. However, in appropriate cases drivers may be offered an opportunity to participate in an approved retraining course as a means of improving driver behaviour. More serious or repeat offenders will face a fixed penalty of £100 and three penalty points, or a court appearance.
Mr Jeffrey added: “We are committed to protecting road users from the risk of injury by encouraging safe speeds across the network and improving driver behaviour through education and where necessary prosecution.”
Alison Lowe OBE, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, and Chair of the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Board, said: “We all have a part to play in stopping road deaths and serious injury. Simply not speeding makes such a difference.
"To drivers who will continue to speed, the message is simple - you will be caught.
“The enforcement strategy exists to improve safety on our roads and the team will continue their fantastic work.”
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