Average speed cameras on the A55 at Rhuallt Hill set to be activated this week

Average Speed cameras will be activated on the A55 at Rhuallt Hill this week in a bid improve safety in the area.

The new camera system has been installed as part of a trial after data collected between 8 March and 27 March found thousands of people breaking the legal limit on the westbound stretch of the A55 at Rhuallt Hill.

The speed of nearly 395,000 vehicles was measured during the March period, over 215,000 were found to be travelling at speeds of more than 70mph.

The recent Welsh Government study highlighted a number of key road traffic collision hot spots along the A55/A494 corridor.

The report identified Rhuallt Hill as a collision hotspot and the subsequent traffic survey confirmed high volumes of excessive speed.

The #A55 Rhuallt cameras will be enforcing the national speed limit.

Currently no intentions to reduce it.

We want this to be effective in reducing speed related incidents. pic.twitter.com/wGTuMUi624

— North & Mid Wales (@TrafficWalesN) May 28, 2018

Average Speed systems use more than one camera to measure the average speed of a vehicle over a set distance, smoothing and reducing speeds with the intention of reducing speed related collisions over the entire scheme length.

A spokesperson for Traffic Wales said: 

“The intention of this trial is to achieve a reduction in high speed collisions westbound, thus improving safety, reducing the disruption brought about by such incidents and roadworks required to repair infrastructure.

This is not an intervention designed simply to catch motorists speeding, its only purpose is to reduce speeding and reduce speed related collisions. Ideally, there will be no prosecutions. We are advertising the scheme and will be providing signage/information.

We expect the trial to last 6 to 12 months dependent upon what effect this intervention has. It may be that the scheme becomes permanent.”

An average speed system was installed on Sealand Road last year, in the first three months 800 drivers were caught speeding.