Speed cameras can operate after dark Blaby residents reassured …
Reassurance has been given after residents near a racer-plagued bypass questioned if speed enforcement could be carried out late at night. The A426, Leicester Road, also known as the Blaby bypass, was announced as the target of speed enforcement this week after repeated complaints were raised by residents over dangerous and reckless driving[1].
The road, between Blaby and Whetstone[2], has become a meet point for drivers who then race up and down it. The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership said speed camera vans will start frequent visits to the area in an attempt to crackdown on this[3].
However, a number of residents raised concerns about whether they would be there late enough to make a difference. One person said: “We need permanent speed cameras. The racing and drifting[4] happens at night and ends when there is an accident and the ambulance is called. It is so dangerous and loud.” Another added: “Yeah, but the speed cameras won't be there at night.”
The A426, Leicester Road, also known as the Blaby Bypass
The Road Safety Partnership would not tell LeicestershireLive[6] what hours it plans to monitor the site going forwards, but it did offer reassurance that its equipment could work after dark. Jonathan Clarkson, spokesman for the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership said, “We encourage local people to contact us if they feel their quality of life is being effected by excessive speeding, in response to this we will then carry out covert speed surveys to help confirm the scale of the problem and if a particular location meets our agreed criteria it will become a community concern site.”
“Our camera vans are equipped with infra-red technology,” he added, “which enhances the ability to detect speeding offences when they are operating into the evening.”
Local MP[7] Alberto Costa, who was among those raising concerns about the site, celebrated the news of the new enforcement action. He said: “Really good to see this positive action on the Blaby Bypass to tackle the ASB and dangerous driving taking place.”
“It’s important that constituents continue to report these instances, and moving forward I am assured that the police will continue doing all they can to address them,” he added.
References
- ^ dangerous and reckless driving (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Blaby and Whetstone (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ speed camera vans will start frequent visits to the area in an attempt to crackdown on this (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ racing and drifting (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Bid to save two of Leicester's much-loved green spaces from being concreted over rejected (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ LeicestershireLive (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Local MP (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)