Almost 700 drivers caught speeding on new camera in its first week

Nearly 700 drivers have been caught speeding by a camera in its first week of operation, a road safety group says.

The speed camera monitors drivers in both directions on the 30mph A394 road at Longdowns, between Falmouth and Penzance in Cornwall.

It is funded by the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership.

Supt Adrian Leisk, of Devon and Cornwall Police, which is in the partnership, said speed was a contributory factor in many collisions.

He said: "Cameras such as these not only enable us to prosecute those driving at dangerously high speeds, but, importantly, allow us to refer the vast majority into driver education training.

"This is offered as an alternative to prosecution because we know it changes behaviour and reduces the risk of an offender subsequently being involved in a collision."

Vision Zero South West - made up of a number of organisations, including Devon and Cornwall Police, Cornwall Council and National Highways - said the aim was to stop all fatal and serious collisions by 2040.

It said 44 people were killed and 624 seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall's roads in 2020.

Of 681 drivers caught by the camera, which went live on 8 February, five were referred to court, 72 received a conditional offer of a fixed penalty and points on their licence, and 604 were given the option of a driver awareness course, the partnership said.

Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for transport, said: "Speed limits are in place for a good reason. Sadly, too many people are injured on Cornwall's roads.

"These cameras are a valuable tool in educating drivers to slow down."

A similar camera was being set on Tregolls Road, Truro, to capture both red light offences and speeding drivers, the partnership said.

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