Issue details

In 2014 the council entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Avon & Somerset Police whereby the council would own and maintain safety (speed) cameras and the police would provide the council with funds from cost recovery of drivers attending speed awareness courses. That funding would pay for the upkeep of the cameras and any surplus funds would be available for road safety initiatives.

The council currently owns six speed cameras in B&NES. Safety cameras can only be provided at locations that are agreed with the police. Avon & Somerset Police follow national guidance on the siting of safety cameras. This means the cameras can only been used at locations where there has been a history of collisions resulting in injuries where speed was a factor in the cause of the collision.

The cost recovery funds the council receives no longer covers the cost of operating the cameras. This means the council would need to find a new source of funding to keep the cameras operating. The police have offered to take over the ownership and ongoing maintenance of the cameras. This would not result in any change to the level of speed limit enforcement in B&NES. Safety cameras operate in this way in many other parts of the country including in other parts of the Avon & Somerset Police area, such as Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council.