Welsh Government “in discussions“ about installing average speed cameras on 50mph section of A494 through Deeside

The Welsh Government has confirmed it is in discussions with police and its speed camera partnership Go-Safe over the best way to enforce a recently introduced speed limit reduction along the A494 in Deeside.

A temporary 50mph speed limit was introduced last summer as part of a Welsh Government plan to reduce high levels of nitrogen dioxide on roads across Wales where emissions have been found to exceed legal limits.

Since reducing the speed by 20mph there has been “large beneficial” changes to air quality between St David’s Park and Deeside Industrial Park Interchanges according to the Welsh Government.

However, regular A494 users say the road has now become dangerous since the speed was cut as many drivers are choosing to flout the 50mph limit on what was a 70mph stretch of road.

A report published last year said implementing the 50mph speed limit permanently would cost in the region of £400,000 “this would include average speed enforcement cameras and equipment, traffic signs and ongoing maintenance.”

The government says speed limit enforcement along the 50mph stretch of the A494 is “approached as speed limits on other roads” however, data taken from Inrix traffic statistics show the average speed of vehicles using the A494 is nearly 60 mph.

[Inrix data – Using data from traffic monitoring website INRIX the average vehicle speed measured on the Sealand stretch of the A494 is 59mph –9 mph above the speed limit.]

Electronic signage has been introduced to promote a ‘smooth traffic flow’ in a bid to help reduce the high levels of nitrogen dioxide, but to date – there has been no sign of the average speed camera’s as recommended in the report.

A Welsh Government spokesperson told Deeside.com:

“The 50mph speed limit on a section of the A494 has been implemented to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels which are currently above legal limits.

Enforcement is currently approached in the same way as other speed limits on the trunk road network.

However, Welsh Government officials are continuing discussions with the Police and GoSafe about the most appropriate method of enforcement going forward including the possibility of installing average speed cameras to help ensure 24 hour a day compliance.”