Costessey could get Norfolk’s first average 20mph speed cameras

A proposal to place cameras in West End has been put forward in response to fears of rat-running when the new Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) is completed.

The 12.5-mile dual carriageway from the A47 at Postwick will end at the A1067 at Taverham, and residents believe drivers looking to continue to the A47 at Longwater will cut through West End.

Town councillors identified £60,000 of section 106 money from the Next development at Longwater which could potentially be used to pay for average speed cameras, which would be sited at the junction of West End with Ringland Lane and at the top of Longwater Lane.

They have raised the idea with officers at Norfolk County Council, and Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership confirmed it was aware of the proposal.

An average speed camera in King's Lynn on the A47. (Image: Archant © 2009)

Police do not currently enforce 20mph speed limits in Norfolk.

There are two existing average speed camera sites in Norfolk but they are both in national speed limit zones, on the A149 at Potter Heigham and on the A17 near King's Lynn.

Tim East, chairman of Costessey Town Council, said that because the NDR was a three-quarter bypass and not a full northern bypass there would be an increased amount of traffic in Costessey.

'We will never reduce the volume of traffic rat-running through Costessey until the final link of the NDR, ideally to join up with the Easton roundabout, is completed so we would have a northern bypass,' he said. 'The intention is not to reduce the volume but there's a distinct speeding issue.'

There are currently speed tables along the road but Mr East said many vehicles still exceeded the limit.

He said installing average speed cameras would be a 'ground-breaking' move as they would be the first in a 20mph zone in Norfolk.

Anne Pointin, manager of the Norfolk police's safety camera team, confirmed she was aware of proposals but there had not been a formal approach yet,

Maintenance costs of the existing average speed cameras in the county are the responsibility of the team.

A Norfolk County Council spokesman said the development consent order (DCO) for the NDR, confirmed by the secretary of state, included a number of requirements, and one of these was for the county council to examine a scheme of enhanced traffic calming measures on West End Costessey, including the use of average speed cameras.

'This requirement is as a result of issues discussed during the public examination,' the spokesman said. 'The county council is currently examining the feasibility of average speed cameras as an alternative to physical calming measures in Costessey West End and has had some initial informal discussion with the police about such a proposal.

'It will be approaching the Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership more formally in the near future to see how this proposal can be taken forward.'