Casualty stats as new Plymouth speed cameras switched on

There have been just four serious road collisions and no fatal ones inside Plymouth's new 20mph speed trap zone in the past five years, figures reveal. Data from Vision Zero shows that from the start of 2020 until the end of last year there were 18 collisions in the area now covered by average speed cameras with 14 of these collisions classed as "slight". All of the incidents were around the edge of the zone, where cameras went live on Thursday, June 12.

There were none in the majority of the streets covered, including Stuart Road and Wilton Street from the mini roundabout they share on the Pennycomequick side of the zone to their junctions with Molesworth Road. One Stoke [1] resident had told PlymouthLive that a campaign to have a crossing installed in central Wilton Street, more than five years ago, was unsuccessful partly because there had been no fatalities on the road. The person said the roads have been "quieter" since the cameras were installed in March, but added: "Why not put one camera in (Wilton Street) at 30mph?

Why have it at 20mph?" There have been several collisions at or near the junction of Wilton Street and Molesworth Road, and on the hilly Molesworth Road, Eldad Hill and Stoke Road. Of the four serious collisions, one was at the Molesworth Road/Wilton Street junction, another at the nearby Valletort Road/Wilton Street junction, another close to the junction of Stuart Road and Valletort Road, and another at the railway bridge at Stuart Road, where the scheme now comes into force.

Plymouth City Council [2] has repeatedly stressed that the camera-controlled 20mph zone [3] is not a money-making scheme [4] and that it is to ensure the safety of children attending Stuart Road Primary Academy and around a newly installed pedestrian crossing at Mill Bridge. But the opposition Tory group on Plymouth City Council have questioned the need for the speed cameras and said they would examine the need for them if they regain power. Tory councillor Lee Finn told PlymouthLive: "Where is the argument for these cameras?

Young children need to be protected, have a 20mph zone around a school - but it does not need to be enforced by cameras. "Why support the entrapment of motorists? Should the Conservatives get back in, a complete re-evaluation of this scheme will be undertaken from day one.

A scheme such as this, based on the evidence so far, would be removed. The arguments used to put the scheme in place do not stack up." The camera-enforced zone, where speeds have been reduced from 30mph, cost the council GBP125,000.

The scheme was developed following feedback from ward councillors about residents' safety concerns and approved in January following public consultation, which resulted in 166 people in favour of the project and 163 against. But the petition "stop the 20mph zone in Plymouth" received 2,469 signatures and the scheme has proved controversial with a wave of opposition from around the city. Cllr Finn said: "The petition clearly showed the strength of feeling and at least deserves a discussion and a referral to a scrutiny panel to provide a report on whether it is justified."

From the Vision Zero map, these collisions have been recorded inside what is now the 20mph zone between 2020 and 2024: Stoke Road : July 2024, slight, three vehicles, one person slightly injured.

Eldad Hill : November 2024, slight, two vehicles, one pedestrian slightly injured. Molesworth Road :

January 2020, slight, four vehicles, one motorcycle, person aged over slightly 60 injured. February 2020, slight, two vehicles, one person slightly injured. August 2020, slight, one vehicle, one child pedestrian slightly injured.

February 2024, slight, one vehicle involved, a pedestrian slightly injured. September 2024, slight, two vehicles, one child slightly injured. Junction of Molesworth Road and Stuart Road :

October 2020, slight, two vehicles involved, two people slightly injured Junction of Molesworth Road and Wilton Street: June 2022, serious, two vehicles, one cycle, one person seriously injured.

April 2023, slight, two vehicles, one person slightly injured. Junction of Wilton Street and Valletort Road: July 2023, serious, two vehicles, one cycle, one person seriously injured

May 2024, slight, two vehicles, one person slightly injured. Valletort Road: March 2021, slight, two vehicles, one person slightly injured.

Junction of Valletort Road and Stuart Road: June 2020, serious, two cars and a motorcycle involved. One person seriously injured.

Wilton Street (near Stoke Damerel Church): January 2023, slight, two vehicles, one person slightly injured. Junction of Wilton Street and Stuart Road:

October 2022, slight, one vehicle, one pedestrian slightly injured. Stuart Road railway arch: October 2023, serious, two vehicles, one cycle, one person seriously injured.

April 2023, slight, one vehicle, one pedestrian slightly injured. Vision Zero's stats for 2023 show that in the whole of Plymouth there were 478 casualties recorded by police from traffic collisions. One of these was fatal, 77 were serious and 400 were classed as slight.

They involved 229 cars, 79 pedestrians, 75 motorcyclists, 56 cyclists and and 11 goods vans. Of casualties, 61% were men. The Stoke speed camera zone is only phase one of a much larger 20mph scheme, which the council said will be implemented within two years, and extend the 20mph zone around the Stonehouse [5] area, covering High Street Primary Academy.

That area covers the site of a fatal collision in December 2021, at 7.46pm, in Penrose Street near the junction of an unclassified road. Four vehicles were involved and one person aged over 60 died. A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: "Our road collision data is recorded and collated over five-year periods (the latest being 2020 to 2024) and is available on our website at www.plymouth.gov.uk/road-traffic-collision-data [6] .

There is a link on this page to Vision Zero's Traffweb mapping system, where members of the public can search and display collision data for any chosen area and dates. We must stress, however, that the data for 2024 is yet to be validated by the Department for Transport." Click here [7] to join PlymouthLive on WhatsApp and we'll send breaking news and top stories directly to your phone.

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References

^ Stoke (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
^ Plymouth City Council (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
^ the camera-controlled 20mph zone (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
^ not a money-making scheme (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
^ Stonehouse (www.plymouthherald.co.uk)
^ www.plymouth.gov.uk/road-traffic-collision-data (www.plymouth.gov.uk)
^ Click here (chat.whatsapp.com)
^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)