13 hours Ago
Warwickshire County Council, the body responsible for highways, has confirmed that cameras installed along the A435 in the second half of 2022 have never been operational. Starting next to Studley Cricket Club, the average speed check signs and cameras warn drivers not to exceed 30 miles per hour (mph) through Studley with the next set restricting motorists to 50 mph between Studley and Coughton. A third set comes with a 40 mph restriction through Coughton and King’s Coughton before a fourth measures against national speed limit as the first leg of what becomes a dual carriageway that bypasses Alcester heads towards the Arrow roundabout.
Their implementation was heralded as a step forward for road safety on a route that is often used by lorries and other traffic as an alternative to sometimes busier parts of the M42 and M5 in Worcestershire. A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson said each set was “currently undergoing final testing by the police and the camera supplier”, adding: “They are live and will be enforceable once these final test runs are complete. “The delay in the cameras becoming operational was due to National Grid’s availability in programming the required power supply to the units.
” Timescales for ongoing works and when the cameras will be enforcing speeds have been requested but Warwickshire County Council has yet to provide a response. National Grid acknowledged the issues and while unable to confirm exact dates said that the last of the first three sets were not sent live until “late 2024”. It was also confirmed that the fourth set along the dual carriageway – the county council says this part is not in its camera programme – had yet to be powered up.
A National Grid Electricity Distribution spokesperson said: “The time it takes to connect new systems such as average speed cameras to the local electricity network can vary. “This was a complex task, with land access and traffic management requirements along the A435. We have worked with Warwickshire County Council throughout to ensure that the work was completed as swiftly and safely as possible, and we’d like to thank them for their patience and co-operation.
“We’re pleased that the cameras along the A435 are now connected and ready for testing.”.
