Mayor Dave Announces New Average Speed Camera Sites – and Renews Call for Government to Reinvest Fines in Local Road Safety

Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced the expansion of his popular programme to install average speed cameras where local communities want to see them.

After listening to the concerns of communities across the Borough about speeding traffic on local roads, Mayor Dave made Bedford Borough the first place in the country to introduce average speed cameras on residential roads in 2012.

The first set was erected in Milton Ernest, and that scheme and others introduced since have had a dramatic effect in bringing down speeds and making local roads safer for all.

The seven new sites for average speed cameras are in locations right across the Borough including Kempston, several rural villages and a number of roads in Bedford. The sites were all chosen following initial requests from communities and local ward councillors.

All of the fines go to central government, and in addition to announcing the new camera locations, Mayor Dave has renewed his call for the Government to stop hoarding the cash in Whitehall. Instead, he's calling for funds to be ring-fenced for reinvestment in making Bedford Borough's roads safer, enabling more of the communities seeking their own cameras to benefit from their installation.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "Speeding traffic is raised as a major concern by residents I talk to in communities right across Bedford Borough. That's why we've taken real action to make our roads safer for everyone. We were the first place in the country to introduce cameras on ordinary roads as an effective deterrent against speeding. They've proved to be hugely popular with local communities who have benefited from safer local roads.'

"The Council doesn't receive a penny from the fines, which are all collected by government. I'm calling on the government to stop hoarding that cash from Bedford Borough motorists and instead ring-fence some of it for reinvestment making roads safer here. That way we could meet the demand from a number of communities across Bedford Borough for their own average speed cameras to help make their streets safer."

The full list of new locations for average speed cameras is as follows:

• Needwood Road, Bedford
• Woburn Road, Kempston
• Putnoe Lane, Bedford
• Polhill Avenue, Bedford
• Clapham
• Carlton
• Pavenham