Average speed cameras proposed for A41, Chester

Average speed cameras could be installed on part of the A41 in Chester thanks to a commitment from Cheshire’s police and crime Commissioner (PCC) and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The high collision route has been identified as one of four roads across Cheshire to receive a cash injection from the police to make the road safer through speed reduction.

It’s part of PCC David Keane’s ongoing commitment to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Cheshire’s roads. Over the next year, he has committed to investing more than £1 million to improve road safety.

Part of the ‘A’ road between Christleton and Waverton has been put forward by the Council to have the cameras installed after an assessment, which considered speeding and collision data together with concerns raised by local communities.

Cheshire Police will now work with the Council to produce detailed plans for an average speed scheme, subject to a full feasibility study and site surveys.

PCC David Keane said: “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Cheshire Police and local authorities to make our roads safer, the number of people killed or seriously injured on Cheshire’s roads has reduced by more than a third (38 per cent) over the last five years.

“However, one death on our roads is too many and I am committed to doing everything I can to tackle the five main causes of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which includes speeding.

“We can save more lives by putting average speed schemes on high collision routes. We’ve seen these type of schemes work on other Cheshire high collision routes, including the ‘Cat and Fiddle’ in Macclesfield which has seen a 90 per cent decrease in vehicles exceeding the speed limit since average speed cameras were installed.

“This is strong evidence that investing in road safety saves lives. I see the installation of these cameras on the A41 and three other Cheshire roads as the start of a journey to deliver my vision for an ‘average speed Cheshire’.

“This activity will send a clear message that dangerous, and potentially fatal, driving will not be tolerated in Cheshire.” 

The Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, highways and strategic transport, councillor Karen Shore, said:  “Road safety is aligned to the priorities in our current Council Plan and we continuously review the safety on our network while listening to the views of our communities. 

“Speeding deters people from walking and cycling to the detriment of public health, the environment and the climate emergency.”

Chief constable Darren Martland said: "Cheshire Constabulary is committed to making the county's roads safer for all road users.

“I am confident that the installation of the new cameras will deter motorists from speeding which, we know, can be a significant contributory factor to the number of collisions that occur on our roads.

"Improving road safety is a priority for Cheshire Constabulary and we are confident that the installation of average speed cameras will help to make our roads safer and, ultimately, save lives.”