Mobile speed cameras continue to breach guidelines as 2023 sees record detections

Mobile speed camera vans in Northern Ireland have been pictured breaching their enforcement guidelines as 2023 saw a record year for detections and the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads.

In 2023, mobile speeding enforcement vans made 67,227 detections, the highest figure ever on Northern Irish roads, however during the same period there were 97 people killed or seriously injured in collisions, the highest figure since 2011.

There were also 567 slight injury collisions, a significant reduction since 2014, when there were 748.

Mobile speeding enforcement van pictured breaching guidelines

The vast majority of mobile speed camera detections took place on 30mph roads, primarily in the greater Belfast area, with the Shore Road seeing the most with 3,204 over the course of 2023.

The mobile speed enforcement vans do not operate between the hours of 9pm and 6am, with most detections taking place between 9am and 3pm.

However concerns have been raised by former North Down and Ards Road Safety Committee chair Terry Malcolm who believes that the mobile speed cameras are not being used in the locations in order to deter speeding and accidents, but instead are being used to generate money through fines.

He highlights repeated examples of mobile speeding enforcement vans not following their guidelines by blocking footpaths, parking in bus stops and hiding behind obstacles in order to detect vehicles.

The mobile speeding enforcement vans, which are run by the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership, are meant to adhere to certain guidelines when monitoring speeding drivers, which include ensuring that when "deployment on a footway is necessary, maintain a minimum clear free passage width of 1.5 metres".

They are also say that the vans must be visible from certain distances on different speeds of roads.

Terry said: "I started contacting the RSP in 2017 as I was concerned that the vans were not parking properly to deter speeding and reduce road deaths where the stats clearly show where people are being injured or killed. The parking from the vans is also widely commented on as they are often seen breaching their guidelines set out

"The Road Safety Partnership took over from the PSNI in 2008 when the figures were 11,950 caught speeding and the RSP stated they would reduce these figures and in 2024 we are now at 70,000, that’s some reduction. In 2023 figures were around 67,000 caught speeding and 55,000 of these were detected in the 30mph and 40mph limit and only 10,000 were detected in the other three limits. But yet 65% of people lose their lives on rural roads which are speeds of above 40mph.

"If you read the Northern Ireland safety camera scheme hand book 2006 you can see it’s a self funded scheme, so to me a self funded scheme means the more caught the more money is made. There are hundreds of photographs to show footpaths being blocked, vans hiding, behind road signs, below low hanging trees, but it’s all denied. But the photographs would say different."

Despite widespread concerns regarding the dangers of the A5, in 2023 the mobile cameras were only deployed on one site along the road, the Doogary to Ballygawley roundabout, despite there being other locations they can be used along the stretch of road.

This location saw 460 detections over the course of 2023. However the PSNI^[3] have said that the cameras have been used far more frequently along the A5 since the beginning of 2024 with 279 deployments from January 1 to July 31, resulting in 1,403 detections.

A PSNI spokesperson said: "Speeding is one of the most common causes of serious collisions in which people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

"The Road Safety Partnership (RSP) is committed to reducing the number of collisions and casualties on our roads by preventing and detecting speeding offences.

"Part of this work is through the use of RSP camera vans which operate across Northern Ireland at locations where there is a proven history of injury collisions or where the local community has requested speed enforcement action.

"The vans are not solely for enforcement, but are also a visible deterrent and reminder to all road users the importance of travelling within the speed limits.

"Sites where the current practice is to park on the pavement are reviewed regularly and where a feasible alternative location is identified, it will be adopted for future deployments. The RSP vehicles are staffed and can be moved at any time if an unsafe situation materialises. Anyone with a safety concern regarding the operation of the mobile camera vans is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101. If a report is received of a van parked in breach of these guidelines, the report will be investigated thoroughly.

"It is important to remind all drivers that there are consequences to breaking the speed limit and driving in a manner that does not consider the safety of all road users."

It continued: "The A5 remains a high priority for the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership. Between January 1, 2024, and July 31 , Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership deployed camera vans on the A5 a total of 279 times.

"During the same period, there were 1,403 detections of drivers breaking the speed limit as a result of these deployments on the A5.

"In relation to the deployment of camera vans in 30 miles per hour zones, the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership deployment strategy follows a strict criteria, which includes data relating to the number of deaths and serious injuries incurred on these roads."

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References

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