Bid to continue use of average speed cameras in Halesowen

There are average speed cameras on two routes in the borough – the the A4123 from the Birmingham Road to Priory Road in Dudley and on the A458 from Drews Holloway in Halesowen to the Hayes (along the Halesowen to Stourbridge) route. 

At a meeting of Dudley Council’s cabinet next week (Wednesday March 20), members will get an update on existing, interim and future arrangements for the use of Average Speed Enforcement (ASE) routes in the borough.

Currently there are three separate agreements in the West Midlands between the police and local authorities to maintain and manage ASE routes.

The agreements are with the Black Country authorities, Birmingham and Solihull and Coventry.

As part of the Black Country agreement, which was agreed in 2020, there are two ASE routes in Dudley borough.

Since being introduced the route on the A4123 from the Birmingham Road to Priory Road has had a positive impact with the number of recorded collisions reducing from 32 in 2015-17 to three in 2020-22.

Along the other route on the A458 from Drews Holloway to the Hayes there has been a reduction from 26 collisions in 2015-17 to only nine in 2020-22, with a significant reduction in recorded speeds.

As current agreements come to an end West Midlands Police is looking to introduce a new region-wide plan for the use of ASE routes in the future.

This is likely to come into force in 2025 and cabinet will be asked to approve interim arrangements while the regional agreement is developed.

Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “Keeping people safe on our roads is and will remain one of the council’s biggest priorities moving forward.

“We have seen a big success with the ASE routes in our borough and I’m pleased we’re able to work with the police and our neighbouring authorities to develop a regional approach which learns from the existing schemes and enables us to target other priority routes.

“The average speed cameras In Dudley have done exactly what they are meant to do, reduce speed and the number of collisions, particularly those resulting in fatal or serious injury.”