​New cameras given the go ahead to detect ‘Speed on Green’ for speed awareness month

As part of speed awareness month, the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership (MRSP) will be introducing a number of ‘speed on green’ cameras at various junctions across Merseyside from Monday, 28 January 2019.

This trial scheme is part of the road safety strategy to reduce the number and severity of injury collisions and to reduce the overall speed of vehicles on Merseyside’s roads. 

These cameras will not only detect when a driver has contravened a red traffic light signal but will also record the speed of those vehicles travelling above the speed limit through the junction, regardless of the colour of the traffic light signal. 

In 2017, 557 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads of Merseyside and last year many more were involved in collisions which were life changing for them and their families.

There are many reasons why crashes occur but a common contributory factor is speed, whether it be inappropriate or excessive speed. The statistics also show that most collisions occur on 30 mph roads with junctions being of particular danger.

Jayne Eaton from the Safer Roads Unit at the Partnership said: “These cameras have the potential to improve safety on our roads by influencing the speed of drivers at junctions and reducing the risk of a crash. However, we would prefer if the cameras were redundant and drivers drove responsibly and within the speed limits.

“By their very nature, junctions present an increased risk to drivers. A green traffic light signal can often create an unpredictable situation for a driver to deal with and it is vitally important that drivers drive at an appropriate speed, one which enables them to stop safely should the traffic lights change or a pedestrian step into the road.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy said: “Far too many people lose their lives or suffer serious injury on our roads. We know that speed is a major factor in many of those collisions and that’s why, as we mark speed awareness month, we are looking for ways to encourage drivers to slow down – for their own safety and the safety of others.

“I hope that by implementing ‘speed on green’ cameras, more drivers will pay closer attention to their speed, make sure they are sticking to the limits and driving responsibly. It could be the difference between getting home safely or not getting home at all.”

A number of suitable junctions have been earmarked for the ‘speed on green’ cameras with Sefton being the first area to receive them and each will be clearly signposted as a speed camera for the locations across Merseyside.

Paul Mountford from the Safer Roads Unit added “Drivers should remember that an amber light means ‘stop’ if safe to do so and we would warn drivers of the consequences of speeding at junctions, for example to ‘beat’ a red traffic light signal. Speeding carries a penalty of £100 and 3 penalty points. Drivers may be offered a Speed Awareness Course, depending on their speed.”