Bolton Council together with local safety camera supplier, Tektrans and with the support of Greater Manchester Police, has developed an affordable, scalable and innovative solutions to combat anti-social driving. The initiative is already showing highly encouraging results.
The Challenge
Traditionally, speed management measures have relied on engineering or enforcement; such as fixed or mobile type approved speed cameras.
- Fixed spot speed cameras have a short range and may affect speeds within 300m of the camera location.
- Average speed cameras affect speeds over a longer distance; however, they are not suitable for urban environments where there are lots of side roads and formal crossing facilities.
Community concerns often centre on a small proportion of motorists who persistently and excessively speed—posing the greatest challenge to traditional enforcement. These drivers, who often speed during quieter nighttime hours and repeatedly use the same routes, account for less than 2% of all motorists. Despite their small numbers, they cause significant concern in local communities and are the hardest to enforce against.
The Initiative
In response, Bolton Council and GMP, supported by Tektrans, have developed an innovative solution that can be redeployed across the borough and across other Greater Manchester Authorities.
Using GMP data, the A676 was identified as a high-risk route. The data showed that speed has a large contributing factor to death and serious injury collisions. GMP were keen to collaborate with Bolton Council to address driver behaviour and committed to acting upon the data provided.
Six cameras were installed across the network to create a ring of monitoring on the A579 and A676 and Hulton Lane and University Way. Whilst these cameras are not type approved, they collect important data including speed, direction and number plate information.
The back-office software used by Tektrans processes this data to identify repeat offenders. By setting specific thresholds and timeframes, the system generates a list of the top 10 persistent speeders in the area. This list is then shared with GMP who visit the registered keeper to engage directly with them.
These visits serve to:
- Highlight the dangers and consequences of their driving behaviour.
- Inform motorists that the network is under surveillance.
This proactive engagement has proven highly effective, and the initial results are very encouraging. Being visited in this manner is delivering positive results with word quickly spreading across communities, having a greater reach than just the individual.
Results So Far
The scheme launched in April 2024, and over a period of six months, the results show a cumulative reduction of 73.2% in repeat offenders, demonstrating the effectiveness of this targeted approach.
Next Steps
The initiative is set to expand its scope with continued innovation including:
- Red light running compliance cameras.
- Pedestrian crossing conflict and near miss monitoring.
- Cloned number plate monitoring.
Image – Bolton Council