North Yorkshire Police are ramping up their casualty reduction drive following a six-month mobile safety camera pilot.
Three new mobile safety camera vans have now been purchased and will be self funding from speed awareness course levies.
Assistant Chief Constable Iain Spittal, said:
The results from the pilot scheme fully justify the expansion of our mobile safety camera capability.
We have witnessed some extreme offences brought before the courts, supported by indisputable evidence captured by the high-tech equipment used in the safety camera van.
These motorists have been given heavy fines, lost their licences and, in some cases, their livelihoods.
These are the lucky ones, they returned home to their families. Some, tragically and needlessly, do not.
Facts and figures from the 6 month trial
Total Violations – 26,442
Referred For Summons – 368
Cond Offer – 3205
Speed Awareness – 21844
Not proceeded with – 1025
Other facts
In 2010, 20 motorcyclists lost their lives on the county’s roads, in 2011, 11 died and in 2012 five died.
The force has recorded a 50% reduction in speed related fatal collisions during 2011, from 14 in 2010 to 7 in 2011.
During the first 12 months of the mobile safety camera pilot, fatal and serious injury collisions have reduced by 46% at identified sites. Fatal and serious injury collisions where speed is a contributory factor have reduced by 59%.
A speed awareness course is offered to first time offenders who meet certain criteria. This is an educational alternative to receiving a speeding conviction and penalty points on your driving licence.
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The safety camera vans will be self-funding. A £35 levy is taken from the £93 (see note at end) speed awareness course fee and used to fund the running costs of the vans.
Any excess levies after the running costs have been deducted will be ring-fenced to fund future road safety projects which will be identified by the “95 Alive” York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership.
The vans will be deployed to routes identified through intelligence and collision data as well as those highlighted by local communities who are blighted by speeding motorists.
These routes will be regularly reviewed and updated with the latest intelligence and collision data.
Members of the public can put forward their concerns about speeding in their local area through the speed management protocol. A speed report form is available from your local council office, police station or can be downloaded from the North Yorkshire County Council www.northyorks.gov.uk/roadsafety
After your form has been received, data will be collected from the site of concern and if it reveals a speeding problem, a panel of road safety experts will decide the best course of action to take.
This could be through various means including engineering, signage, enforcement by police officers or using the mobile safety camera. Although not all locations are suitable for mobile safety camera enforcement.
Members of the public can find out what the safety camera van is doing in their area. Dedicated web pages will show the routes through each district and how you can make a referral if you are concerned about speeding in your area. From 23 April 2013, you will be able to view the most up to date results from the previous week’s enforcement activity. Log on to www.northyorkshire.police.uk/safetycameras and follow the link to deployment and results.
You can also follow the safety camera unit on Twitter @NYProads
Key cases from the pilot
13 drivers and riders were summonsed to appear at Selby Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 August 2012 after being caught by the mobile safety camera at speeds ranging from 72mph in a 40mph zone to 132mph in a 70mph zone.
A Paisley man ended up paying £900 in fines and costs after disputing a speeding offence when he was caught driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone on Filey Road, Flixton.
He was offered a speed awareness course which would have cost £93, with his licence remaining endorsement free. Instead, he denied he was speeding but evidence from the camera proved he was. He ended up paying a £200 fine, £685 costs and victim surcharge of £15 totalling £900.
A Bridlington man was banned for 15 months and ordered to take an extended driving test and carry out 250 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to dangerous driving. He was captured by the safety camera crossing solid white lines and driving at 110mph in a 60 zone while overtaking a line of 13 vehicles on Reighton by-pass near Filey.
A York man was banned for 60 days, fined £230 and ordered to pay £45 costs and a £23 victim surcharge after driving his car at 106mph on the A1237 near Monks Cross, York.
A Halifax man was caught riding his motorcycle at 144mph on the A63 near Selby. He was banned from driving for six months and fined £500 plus court costs of £45 and a victim surcharge of £50.
A York man was banned for 70 days and fined £360 after riding his motorcycle at 104mph past a horse and rider.
A Leeds man pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after being caught performing a “wheelie” at 104mph on his motorcycle. He was banned for 12 months, given 200 hours of community work and ordered to take an extended driving test.
Note – an accurate calculation of the money generated from speed awareness courses cannot be attained by multiplying the number of courses offered by £93. Not all offers of speed awareness courses are taken up by the motorist. Some opt for being fined and having their licence endorsed.
