Cams to patrol 20mph zones

Auto Express Car Reviews

1 Entry camera captures vehicle's number plate and logs current time

2 Synchronised units record place of exit and calculate average speed

26th June 2006

Britain faces a 20mph city centre speed limit blitz if the recommendations of a new report are adopted - and one council is already planning to use hi-tech cameras, instead of speed humps, to enforce the restrictions.

According to research carried out by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the Department of Transport (DfT), a 20mph urban limit and tougher sen-tencing for dangerous drivers are the best ways to reduce road deaths.

Based at the University of York, the Swedish boffins want UK transport chiefs to adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ ap-proach, and say snail’s-pace motoring is the best bet.

“There is evidence that a 20mph speed limit in urban areas would cut deaths and injuries significantly,” the report claims. While the DfT debates whether low-speed zones should be rolled out across the UK, authorities in Portsmouth are already going ahead with a scheme. They plan to cut residential limits to 20mph before 2008, and police them with advanced average speed cameras. A network of units calculates speeds over a certain distance, and if it’s higher than 20mph, a fine is issued almost immediately.