Tunnel drivers break speed limit

The cameras monitor drivers 24 hours every day

One in four drivers using the Saltash Tunnel in Cornwall breaks the speed limit, according to new figures.

The Highways Agency says information from new hi-tech cameras in the tunnel show a large proportion of drivers are still flouting the speed restrictions.

The speed cameras were installed when a 30mph limit was introduced in the tunnel in June of last year.

The system calculates the average speed between two cameras using number plate recognition technology.

Constant monitor

Since it was installed, the Highways Agency says 26% of drivers travelling eastbound towards Plymouth have been exceeding the limit, with 3% travelling at speeds in excess of 40mph.

The Agency says drivers who continue to exceed the speed limit pose a danger to themselves and other road users and they risk being prosecuted.

The cameras in the Saltash Tunnel are the first of their kind in the South West.

Unlike the more common speed cameras, the SPECS cameras do not film so they can monitor speeding motorists 24 hours a day, every day of the year.