Burnham-On-Sea’s MP and a local district councillor have this week expressed their concern that calls for a new speed camera in the town have been rejected by Somerset County Council.
Cllr Joe Leach has been campaigning for the introduction of a speed camera along Marine Drive for several three years, backed by MP Tessa Munt.
But this week, the cash-strapped Safety Camera Partnership has decided that it will not be introducing a permanent camera despite local safety concerns.
“Some residents feel lives could be put at risk by this decision. It is a fast-moving road and we will continue to fight for a camera,” Cllr Leach told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“I am also disappointed that the county council has said it will not be considering reinstating the old camera at East Brent despite cross-party calls for its return.”
Dick Bowen, Somerset’s Road Safety Partnership Manager, explained: “Marine Drive does not meet the requirements of the Department for Transport on the installation of a fixed safety camera.”
“Mobile enforcement is in place and we have made 32 visits to the area and will continue to carry out this type of enforcement. More importantly, the offenders do not know when the mobile vehicle will be there.”
Of the East Brent camera, he said: “We carry out periodical speed checks to ensure the speeds do not rise. Our first data collection was in May 2010, prior to removal, when the average speed was recorded as 37.9mph. We carried out a new check in September 2010, four months after the camera was removed, and the average speed was 37.8 mph, both below the posted speed limit of 40 mph.”
“We will continue to monitor the speeds and act accordingly if an increase is recorded. Based on this evidence, though, there is no need to consider a safety
camera being returned to this location.”
