New speed cameras catch over 3,200 drivers

They've only been up for two weeks

Police and a road safety partnership have urged drivers to slow down after new speed cameras across Devon and Cornwall detected more than 3,200 offences in their first few days.

One of the cameras has been activated around 120 times per day in the first two weeks, while another detected a driver travelling at 73mph on a 30mph road.

Earlier this month Devon & Cornwall Police reported the installation of four new high-tech bi-directional speed cameras.

In Devon, the new digital cameras replaced older Gatso models on Exeter Road in Exmouth and the A385 Ashburton Road in Totnes.

These cameras were funded by the Vision Zero South West Road Safety Partnership.

In Cornwall, two sets of bi-directional cameras have been erected on the A390 at Drakewalls and St Ann’s Chapel near Gunnislake.

These cameras were funded by Cornwall Council.

All of these routes have had problems with collisions and speeding vehicles, prompting numerous complaints to local councils and the police from residents.

In total, the four cameras – which have been operational for between 7 and 15 days - have detected 3,280 speeding offences:
•    The A376 Exeter Road cameras have been activated 1,671 times since 14/6/23, with the highest speed recorded at 61mph
•    On Ashburton Road, the cameras have been activated 865 times since 16/6/23, with the highest speed recorded at 56mph
•    The cameras at St Annes Chapel has seen 599 activations since 14/6/23, with the highest recorded speed at 73mph
•    At Drakewalls, the cameras have been activated 145 times since 22/6/23, with the highest speed recorded at 47mph

Adrian Leisk, Devon & Cornwall Police’s Head of Road Safety and chair of the Vision Zero South West enforcement committee, said he was shocked by the results.
Mr Leisk said: “it is disappointing to see the number of vehicles that have been detected travelling at excess speed on these routes, but the speeds some of them have been travelling at are worrying.
“All of these cameras are located in 30mph zones and already two of them have caught drivers travelling at more than double that speed. It’s just not acceptable."