Speed detection on the Torpoint Twisties

On Sunday September 7th 2008 a speed detection operation was carried out on the A374 Torpoint to Trerulefoot using marked and unmarked vehicles.

Staff from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, Cornwall County Council and the Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership (SCP) combined to tackle the concerns raised by the Council’s motorcycle injury route analysis of the A374. The road is particularly attractive to bikers due to a sequence of cambered bends but this has lead to a series of injury accidents over recent years.

The road is mostly a rural national speed limit road except for 3 stretches which go through the villages of Polbathic, Sheviock and Antony. Although there is regular camera enforcement on this route there is evidence that the sports bikers wait until after the speed detection vehicles have left the route before resuming high speed runs.

Previous analysis of motorcycle injury collisions showed the critical times were early evenings Monday to Friday (possibly commuters on large bikes) and mid day for weekends (especially Sunday – thought to be sports bikers).

Highly visible speed detection vehicles were deployed as well as a Speed Indicating Device (SID) which provided a very visible warning of the presence of cameras. Unmarked vehicles were then deployed elsewhere on the route and any excess speeds detected were relayed to the police.

Where eligible, those who were stopped were informed that they would have the opportunity to receive on the spot education rather than a prosecution. They were then escorted back to a Police officer who explained the severity of their offence. The consequences of collisions for all vehicle types were explained. A highways engineer also discussed measures in place to improve the road and reduce the probability and consequences of a collision.

On the day approximately 15 individuals were talked to regarding their driving / riding. Most of these had seen the speed detection vehicle but has not realised that there was the potential to then pass unmarked detection or unmarked police vehicles.

A Cornwall County Councillor joined the team for the day to represent the views of the local community, and an education / communication team from the Peninsula Motorcycle Forum and the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists supported the event.

This news story was published on 091008