A motion calling for a business case to be developed for the Isle of Wight Council to help tackle speeding has been approved.
To try and sort out what it called the ‘horrendous’ speeding issue on the Island, the former Conservative Isle of Wight Council administration had previously put £300,000 aside in this year’s budget, to buy two sets of average speed cameras.
However the Conservatives lost control of County Hall at May’s election, so party leader Cllr Steve Hastings (Con) urged the authority’s new cabinet members, at last night’s (Wednesday) full council meeting (catch up here), to continue with the purchase of the cameras.
Amended motion
Instead, they voted to amend the motion.
The Alliance Group agreed to continue to develop a business case to investigate the costs and effectiveness of the cameras.
Cllr Hastings said there was only so much the police and static speed cameras could do, particularly along the Military Road.
Dedicated road policing unit needed
Cllr Ian Dore (Alliance), said he was not convinced the mobile cameras would be a solution and it was only through cuts that the Island did not have a dedicated police road traffic unit.
Cllr Dore said he applauded the move to investigate cameras, saying speeding was clearly an Island-wide problem and more needed to be done to address it — starting with speedwatch campaigns, but also speaking to Hampshire Constabulary, to see what could be done to bring back the dedicated road policing unit.
Churchman: ‘Frightening people into obeying the law’
Cllr Vanessa Churchman (Con) said it was alright if speed limit signs were in place, but if you could not enforce that, it would be a waste of time.
She said the cameras would be effective as a traffic deterrent, ‘frightening people into obeying the law’.
Jones-Evans: Speeding would be seen in same light as drink driving
Cabinet member for business development and regeneration, Cllr Julie Jones-Evans (Alliance), who has previously been campaigning for 20mph zones to be installed in all towns and villages on the Island, said she hoped speeding would, in a few years, be seen in the same light as drink driving, as completely unacceptable behaviour.
As part of the approved motion – all in favour apart from Cllr Adams (Alliance) (against) and Cllr Pitcher (Vectis) (abstained) – the neighbourhoods and regeneration policy and scrutiny committee will advise on the effectiveness of the cameras.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
