New road safety camera vans operating in Hemel Hempstead

The vans are being deployed across Dacorum
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New road safety camera vans are being deployed in Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum in response to community concerns over speeding.

Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd has funded four of the vehicles which are available for the public to request to visit roads where they are worried about speeding.

On Thursday, October 7, Mr Lloyd and Sir Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, visited Barnacres Road, to see one of the vans in action.

Hertfordshire PCC and Mike Penning MP for Hemel HempsteadHertfordshire PCC and Mike Penning MP for Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire PCC and Mike Penning MP for Hemel Hempstead

It is one of the sites identified as an area of concern by local residents, businesses and partner organisations.

The vans operate particularly in 30mph and 40mph zones, and locations where speeding is an issue but which have not necessarily involved deaths or serious injuries.

Mr Lloyd said: “One of the main issues I hear from the public is about road safety, and particularly speeding on residential roads.

"My job is to listen to those concerns and find ways of addressing them and changing behaviour to make everyone safer.

Road safety camera vans operating in DacorumRoad safety camera vans operating in Dacorum
Road safety camera vans operating in Dacorum

“These vans are a direct and innovative response to that call for action.

“The community needs to have a voice around where action should be taken, not least because they are sometimes the earliest predictors of issues and risk.

“This scheme has been paid for by my Road Safety fund which collects money from those caught breaking the speed limit.

"However, these vans have been deliberately set up to issue educational advisory letters, rather than issue fines.

"Repeat offenders will get a visit at home by an officer and be spoken to about their driving.

“The vans complement the work of the Constabulary’s camera vans and local neighbourhood officers with speed guns, with data collected being used to inform on hotspots which require further enforcement action.”

Sir Mike Penning said: “I very much welcome the addition of these four new Road Safety Camera Vans and it was very interesting and helpful to see one in action in Barnacres Road.

"There are a number of 30mph roads in my constituency where speeding is causing a real problem for local residents, both on arterial roads in Hemel Hempstead like Barnacres and also in the villages.

“I would urge anyone who is concerned about speeding where they live to apply for one of these vans to come to their area.

"Once it is known that a Road Safety Camera Van visits an area occasionally, it really does act as a deterrent.”

Locations where one of the vans have already been deployed in Dacorum include; Midland Road, Warners End Road, Cambrian Way, Leighton Buzzard Road, Northridge Way, Belswains Lane, Galley Hill and Washington Avenue in Hemel Hempstead.

They have also gone to Long Lane and Chipperfield Road in Bovingdon; Toms Lane in Kings Langley; Kings Road, Shooters Way and Kingshill Way in Berkhamsted and also Astrope Lane and London Road in Tring.

Those interested in requesting one of the vans to visit a location can do so by via the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website.

In some circumstances deployment of the van to a location is not always possible due to a variety of reasons, including the absence of an adequate and safe parking position. When such instances occur other options of speed enforcement will be considered.

The Road Safety Camera Vans currently issue advisory letters for non-compliance in an attempt to educate drivers and change behaviour. But they are built to the same standards and specification as those currently used by the Constabulary’s Cameras Tickets and Collisions Department.

The project is being run as a one-year pilot paid for by the PCC’s Road Safety Fund, which collects money from fines and court costs generated from motorists who have committed driving offences.