Transport Scotland (TS) says there has been a significant improvement in driver behavior and speed limit compliance since an average speed camera (ASC) system became operational on the A90 at the end of October last year.
The new ASC system was deployed on a notorious 51.5 mile-long (83km) stretch of the A90 between Dundee and Stonehaven, which forms a crucial part of Scotland’s strategic trunk road network, with around 23,000 vehicles using the road every day.
Following the success of earlier ASC projects on the A9 and A77, Transport Scotland commissioned Jenoptik Traffic Solutions UK (formerly Vysionics) to install its SPECS3 Vector ASC equipment along the A90, with the system going live on October 31, 2017.
Early data released by TS shows the A90 ASC scheme is proving to be very successful. The statistics clearly show the improved ‘uniform’ speed seen along the route, showing that with the old ‘spot speed’ technology cameras, there was good compliance at the camera location, but speeding in between.
Recent speed surveys carried out along the controlled route have shown that 99% vehicles are now complying with the speed limit. This is a significant improvement when considered against the fact that 60% were speeding prior to the installation of ASC. The evidence has also shown that only 1 in every 5,000 vehicles are now speeding at more than 10mph (16km/h) over the speed limit, compared with 20% of vehicles speeding excessively prior to the installation of the camera system.
“These findings add to the compelling evidence that average speed cameras help to transform driver behavior. I’m confident that this encouraging improvement in speed limit compliance along the length of the A90 will help to reduce casualties in the same way as has been achieved with similar average speed cameras on the A77 and A9,” noted Scotland’s Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf.
“While the previous strategy of fixed cameras and mobile enforcement saw casualties reduce at a number of camera locations across the route, the £2m (US$2.8m) investment in average speed cameras on the A90 has had a significant positive impact in a very short period. The Scottish government is committed, through its ‘Road Safety Framework to 2020’, to achieving safer road travel, reducing the number of serious injuries, and working toward an ultimate vision of zero fatalities on its roads.”
Jenoptik’s sales and marketing director, Geoff Collins, commented, “I am always pleased to see the concrete proof that a well-designed ASC system will improve speeds, casualties and traffic flows. The A90 further demonstrates that a SPECS installation can rapidly deliver significant benefits.”
