BOROUGH OF POOLE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP 16 MARCH 2017

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1 Agenda item 6 BOROUGH OF POOLE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP 16 MARCH 2017 REPORT OF HEAD OF GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE SAFEZONE AVERAGE SPEED CAMERA SITE ON SPRINGDALE ROAD, IN BROADSTONE, POOLE AND CORFE MULLEN 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT 1.1 To consider a proposal that the SafeZone Average Speed Camera system in Springdale Road, Broadstone goes live, so that Notices of Intended Prosecution will be issued for detected speeding offences. 2. DECISION(S) REQUIRED 2.1 That members recommend that the Portfolio Holder as the Member representative on the Dorset Strategic Road Safety Partnership (DSRSP) Board approve the use of the SafeZone Average Speed Camera system on behalf of the Borough of Poole in Springdale Road, Broadstone. 3. INTRODUCTION 3.1 The local Road Safety Partnership Dorset Road Safe has a stated objective to reduce casualties through a range of priority interventions, most commonly known as the three E s Education, Engineering and Enforcement. Speed Enforcement initiatives are intended to actively reduce road casualties that can have a significant financial and human cost to our local communities. Although it may be a perception held by opponents to speed cameras, it is not the intention to carry out speed enforcement to achieve financial gain. 3.2 This report is designed to give notice of Dorset Police s intention to commence speed enforcement on Springdale Road, both in Broadstone and Corfe Mullen, using the Siemens SafeZone time over distance camera system (refer to plan in Appendix A showing extent of zone). It also sets out the position with respect to historic approval already granted for enforcement to be commissioned and the associated operational arrangements already set up. 3.3 Traditionally all Dorset Road Safe Partnership Operational Cases went to Cabinet for approval with this Group approving the business case. However since there is no longer any financial contribution from the Borough towards, the DSRSP it is now the latter that has responsibility as the decision making body.

2 3.4 The principle of average speed camera enforcement was included within the Operational Case approved by the March and June 2011 DSRSP Steering Group Meetings following the successful trial and Government Type Approval of the system in 2010/11. Although operational cases are no longer produced, enforcing through alternatives to the fixed camera system remains one of the key objectives of the partnership. 3.5 At the time of the trial there were no specifics as to how exactly the back office system or financial model would operate. The agreement by the Partnership was that Siemens would provide all the on-street and back office equipment for free at no cost to the Borough or Dorset Police. 3.6 The current operational Service Contract with Siemens has been reviewed by the Chief Financial Officer at Dorset Police and will be assessed again after six months of operation. It involves a nominal charge paid by Dorset Police to Siemens for each evidential record provided. This is not a normal service contract, as no up-front monies have been paid and it is also not a lease scheme, hence the Contract was fully scrutinised by both the procurement and legal teams at Dorset Police and has the backing of their Chief Financial Officer. 3.7 At present we cannot predict the exact level of tickets issued and income from these cameras but it is expected to be a low number in the long term as speed compliance is expected to increase. To aid public awareness it is proposed that there will be a co-ordinated publicity campaign plus a short honeymoon or grace period where no fines will be issued but warning letters will be sent out to the registered vehicle keeper instead. 3.8 In summary, no enforcement will take place until all partners are satisfied with these proposals. As mentioned it is envisaged that numbers of speeding tickets issued would be small, certainly in the long term and in comparison with existing fixed camera systems. Experience elsewhere indicates that time over distance systems are highly effective as they generally initiate compliance very quickly after commission. 4. BACKGROUND TO SAFEZONE CAMERA SYSTEM 4.1 In December 2009 the Poole-based company Siemens plc approached Dorset Police, Dorset County Council and the Borough of Poole with a view to trialling an Average Speed Camera or Time over Distance Enforcement system it had developed. 4.2 Based on its Sicore ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) camera, Siemens installed a three-camera SafeZone system on the 30mph speed limit road outside Springdale First School, Broadstone in August Initial trials on the system were carried out between September 2010 and March All costs for this trial in relation to provision of equipment, civil works, installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance costs were borne by Siemens.

3 4.3 The project was formally supported by members of the Dorset Strategic Road Safety Partnership (DSRSP) in June Membership of DSRSP included the relevant Portfolio Holders for all three local authorities at that time. The site was included in the approved Dorset Road Safe Operational Business Case 2011/ RESULTS OF TRIAL 5.1 The trial undertaken in was successful in achieving a reduction in the level of excessive speeding. Prior to the trial an average of 85 vehicles per hour were recorded travelling above 40mph past the school during peak hours. This decreased to 16 vehicles per hour after the trial. The system itself subsequently achieved Home Office Type Approval in May 2011 and in October 2011 SafeZone won the year s national Highways Magazine Excellence Award for a Road Safety Scheme. 5.2 Further night time trials under the existing streetlighting system showed that vehicle registration plate illumination levels were inadequate for satisfactory operation in hours of darkness. Various options were considered including increasing the streetlighting luminance levels but in 2015/16 Siemens resolved this issue by installing infra red lighting alongside the existing cameras. This work has now been completed and commission is currently underway. 6. PROPOSED NEXT STEPS (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) Dorset Road Safe (DRS) Partners are requested to approve the plans to start enforcement. The camera system has already received all the necessary statutory permissions and has Home Office Type Approval and there is no financial impact on the Borough of Poole. Once approval has been granted, the DRS Tactical Group (including the Borough of Poole) will meet with Siemens to review ongoing operational and publicity issues in more detail. The objective is to identify all local stakeholders and agree publicity and community engagement plans for gaining their agreement and buy-in. This process would include local Members. The Tactical Group would then draw up an implementation programme, including agreeing the length of grace period, before issuing Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs or speeding tickets). Before enforcement starts in earnest a press release would be issued announcing the aims of the project. Local groups would be informed through existing means and this would involve the Safer Neighbourhood Team. The equipment will be maintained by Siemens who will also provide evidential details of potential NIPs to Dorset Police via a secure network.

4 (vii) (viii) (ix) The Tactical Group will continue to monitor the level of offences and after 6 months of operation will agree a way forward with the system. If partners are not happy with the arrangement it can be terminated. The system can potentially be extended for use in other areas as part of its Strategic approach to casualty reduction but additional cameras would have to be purchased by Dorset Road Safe partners and at full market cost. Interventions such as SafeZone are prioritised using all available road safety data. Financial constraints mean that although there may be a demand for this type of system in other areas the cost could only be justified where there is an identifiable need based on evidence such as excess speeds or casualties. If we decided to relocate the Springdale SafeZone time over distance cameras they would remain the property of Siemens and so we would be liable for any associated relocation costs. 7. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 7.1 There are no financial implications for the Borough as all costs will be borne by either Dorset Police or Siemens. 8. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 8.1 There are no legal implications. The agreement between Dorset Police and Siemens has been approved by the Chief Financial Officer of Dorset Police. 9. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS 9.1 None. 8. RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS 8.1 None. 8. CONCLUSION 8.1 Given the age and fitness for purpose of the Fixed Safety Camera assets currently installed around the Borough it makes sense to deploy alternative means of enforcing speed limits where this is justified. 8.2 The SafeZone system has been in place for around six years now and the expectation from local Members, the local community and the school is that road safety in the area will continue to improve when the system goes live. 8.3 Although though this is effectively a Police operation and already has all the necessary approvals, as part of the partnership approach to delivering

5 casualty reduction it is recommended that the Portfolio Holder gives his agreement to the start of enforcement on behalf of this Group. Julian McLaughlin Head of Growth and Infrastructure Report Author and Contact Officer Martin Baker February 2017

6 Appendix A Plan showing extent of proposed SafeZone Average Speed Camera site on Springdale Road in Broadstone (Borough of Poole) and Corfe Mullen (Dorset County Council)