Speed cameras dubbed ‘a money making scam’ go up on ‘dangerous’ A38

A dozen new speed cameras are set to be installed along one of Cornwall's most dangerous roads. This comes as part of a plan by National Highways and the Vision Zero South West Road Safety Partnership to improve safety on the A38 between Carkeel and Trerulefoot. The new cameras have garnered a mixed reaction from CornwallLive readers.[1][2][3]

The scheme will include 10 average speed camera installations and two new spot speed cameras between the Carkeel roundabout and Trerulefoot, with new 30mph speed restrictions being put in place in the villages of Landrake and Tideford. Working alongside Cornwall Council[4] and Devon and Cornwall Police[5], among other external partners, National Highways has identified safety issues on this six-mile stretch. A Traffic Regulation Order was initiated this month, and work is expected to begin on the installation of cameras and related signage in early summer.

Campaigners have been calling for new safety measures on this notorious stretch of road for some time. Safe38, a group established by residents to lobby for change following a series of fatal and serious accidents, has been advocating for improvements on the A38 for several years now. Commenter Cornwall Amigo asks: "Still nothing for the B3274 into St Austell[6]?

With the new road set to bring even more speeding traffic?" John04041992 thinks: "The A38[7] should be upgraded to dual carriageway over its entire length in Cornwall, not just use it to install yet more speed cameras." Kernowspark believes: "More income for big brother to waste, it won't improve safety as people will be paying more attention to their speedo than the road."

OverTheRiver disagrees: "If more time is spent looking at one's speedometer to stay within speed limits, it is time to hand one's licence back! How is it more difficult to stay within 30mph than 70mph as an example? Good drivers know the clues their vehicles give them with regard to how fast they are going, without needing their eyes to be glued to the speedometer."

Cameraman points out: "The A38 is NOT dangerous. It is the motorists that flaunt the law that are dangerous! Whilst I am sympathetic with the suffering it might cause or will have caused to the individuals or families involved - it is no good blaming the road if they are the authors of their own demise!"

Don O'Treply replies: "I see them on all roads. Why do you think there are more crashes on this road? Do they drive worse?

Of course not. Therefore the only difference is that the road is less safe. There's always going to be a range of good and bad drivers outside the average, and they will drive on all roads."

Mick6161 replies: "No, it's because people don't drive according to the conditions in front of them. They drive too fast and too carelessly for the road ahead. Crashes happen on motorways and dual carriageways, the 'safest' roads you can ever get, because roads don't cause crashes, drivers do.

So better driver education[8] and tougher penalties might be a better way to go. Instead of dumbing everything down, we should be seeking to raise driving standards." Pollythetuba adds: "Having spent many years clocking up between 50 - 60K miles a year I have yet to see a dangerous road.

It is the idiotic drivers with cars they have little or no control of that makes the road dangerous, overtaking on double white lines, over chevrons and tailgating. Lots of innocent people have suffered through selfish inconsiderate drivers." Graham1 thinks: "This is not a dangerous piece of road, this is just a money making scam."

Don O'Treply replies: "Making money out of people driving dangerously then? As a safe driver who drives safely within the speed limit, count me in on that 'scam'!" How do you feel about the speed cameras - will they improve safety or is it just another tax on the motorist? Have your say in our comments section.[9]

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References

1. ^ new speed cameras are set to be installed (www.cornwalllive.com)
2. ^ A38 (www.cornwalllive.com)
3. ^ CornwallLive readers. (www.cornwalllive.com)
4. ^ Cornwall Council (www.cornwalllive.com)
5. ^ Devon and Cornwall Police (www.cornwalllive.com)
6. ^ St Austell (www.cornwalllive.com)
7. ^ A38 (www.cornwalllive.com)
8. ^ education (www.cornwalllive.com)
9. ^ Have your say in our comments section. (www.cornwalllive.com)
10. ^ Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp (chat.whatsapp.com)
11. ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)