Police see the light on speed
raymond.brown@cambridge-news.co.ukPOLICE will now be able enforce a 20mph speed limit in Cambridge – after new technology was brought in.
They were previously unable to enforce a year-long trial of the reduced speed limit in the city.
The Cambridgeshire force
revealed their equipment had not been tested or approved by the Home Office for use in enforcing 20mph limits, as the News exclusively revealed this week. But new ‘speed of light’ speed guns have been bought to help cut speed, an initiative introduced by the county council to save lives.
The 20mph trial for the area bounded by the city’s inner ring road and the River Cam is expected to start this autumn.
A key factor is cyclists’ safety, with four hurt each week on average in the city.
Although the police said they would now use the technology to check speeds, the force said it believed the most effective way to reduce speed limits would be for traffic calming measures to be introduced.
Insp Clinton Hale said: “Police officers in Cambridgeshire will have the capability to enforce a 20mph speed limit as a result of purchasing the latest laser equipment.
“Original radar-based equipment was not used at the lower speeds to ensure confidence in the readings.
“The latest equipment operates at any speed as it relies on the speed of light to operate.
“The 20mph zones and speed limits will be monitored as and when they are introduced to check whether motorists are keeping to the limit.”
City councillor Tim Bick had called for police to monitor the 20mph zone.
He said: “We have asked police to work with the council to help enforce the limit and put it as one of our area priorities. It needs to be enforced, otherwise it is just down to voluntary compliance and goodwill.”
The council is launching the trial after Government advice and public calls for more 20mph zones.
But the device has not been tested nor approved per this report? Has anyone else seen this one? Got it from Wildy's brother Knut (aka "Stray Cat" somewhere in cyber space .. last seen by me on Pepipoo
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
Members
and by Wildy on German speaking board 
