Cameras on. Speed down. Safer A5 on the way, says MP Alex Mayer
Seven new average speed cameras have been installed on a major Bedfordshire road.
Local MP Alex Mayer visited the stretch of the A5 with National Highways as the new cameras went live in response to long-running safety concerns.
The average speed cameras are part of a major £2.1 million overhaul aimed at cutting collisions on the five-mile section between Thorn Roundabout near Dunstable, through Hockliffe and up to Little Brickhill in Milton Keynes.
Alongside the cameras, new signs have gone up and the speed limit has been reduced from 60mph to 50mph.
The move follows repeated reports of serious crashes along the route. Since 2017, there have been 27 collisions classed as either serious or fatal.
Alex Mayer MP said:
“Too many people have been hurt on this stretch of the A5. I welcome this investment as an effective and necessary measure to slow traffic down and ultimately prevent accidents and injuries. We can already see the difference it is making.”
Simon Amor, Head of Scheme Delivery, added:
“Safety is and always will be our number one priority, and that is why our ambition remains that no-one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads. Our aim is to improve road safety for all road users by introducing reduced speed limits, which we anticipate will reduce the frequency and severity of collisions”
Further improvements are also planned at the A5/B5120 roundabout, after Ms Mayer raised local concerns. National Highways will reinstate the two-lane entry and exit for A5 traffic, alter the layout, resurface the road, and add new markings and signs.
Work on the roundabout is expected to begin in June 2025.