Speed cameras switched back on

Cameras throughout Norfolk will be switched on again

Police in Norfolk are switching on roadside speed cameras throughout the county which have been inoperative because of staffing shortages.

In August the force admitted there had been no film in any of its speed cameras since Christmas because officers had been re-assigned to frontline duties.

But now the cameras have been reactivated as part of a government to cut road accidents.

Deputy Chief Constable, John Bligh, said the initiative is intended to change the behaviour of motorists.

Blackspots targeted

Nine permanent cameras have been switched back on and a new series of traffic light cameras have been installed.

The cameras will be painted bright blue to make them highly visible to motorists.

New mobile camera vans, which will be used to target specific accident blackspots, were also unveiled on Thursday.

Mr Bligh said: "This isn't about trying to bash the motorist, we're all motorists ourselves and none of us want to pay more fines.

The cameras will be highly visible

"What we would like to do is to change behaviour of drivers in the same way that the introduction of the breathalyser did in the 1960s and say 'Speed kills, don't be one be one of these statistics. We want you to alter your behaviour and to reduce your speed'."

Switching on cameras has been possible after the Norfolk Casualty Reduction Partnership - combining the police, health and highways authorities - won funding from the government.

Under the rules of the government scheme, cameras can only be placed at known accident blackspots and any money from fines can only be used to cover the cost of operating the cameras.

Eight police forces took part in a pilot scheme for "self-financing" speed cameras last year.

There were 2,684 fatal or serious injury accidents on Norfolk's roads last year with about 627 blamed on speed or motorists losing control of their vehicle.