Business case bids to use part of a road safety funding award on AI cameras

Devon County Council (DCC) will propose to Government that a proportion of a recent road safety funding award for a North Devon Road be used to deploy the latest in AI camera technology to help save lives.

In March DCC learned it had been awarded £5,040,000 from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Safer Roads Fund (SRF) to deliver safety improvements on the A361 in North Devon between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.

The route was one of 17 roads in England designated by the DfT as ‘high risk’ in the latest SRF funding round and Devon received the highest award.

Now, following evidence gathered during an AI camera pilot over the summer, the DCC is  preparing a business case to use approximately £600,000 of that funding on AI camera technology over three years.  

During the pilot on the A361 1799 potential offences were detected over a four-week period.

These included 1363 instances where a seat belt wasn’t worn and 436 mobile phone distraction offences.

Each of these offences is being reviewed by officers at Vision Zero South West, a partnership which includes Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon County Council and aims to reduce serious and fatal collisions on our roads.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management and Vice Chair of Vision Zero South West said:

“The award we received in March will enable us to help make one of the county’s busiest routes safer.

“I’m particularly keen on the use of the latest technology and innovation to target drivers with unsafe driving habits.

“The recent pilot provided a snapshot of just how many drivers forget to put on their seatbelt and are distracted by mobile phones when driving.

“Armed with this evidence we will make the case to use part of this funding, likely to be in the region of £600,000, to deliver a three-year AI camera trial.

“Through using state-of-the-art technology, we want to reduce these dangerous driving practices and make our roads safer for everyone.”

Councillor Hughes added that they were also looking closely at other improvements along the route such as speed management, and junction upgrades as well as better pedestrian facilities.

Adrian Leisk, Head of Road Safety for Devon & Cornwall Police, said: “There have been several tragic collisions in Devon & Cornwall very recently where people have died or been seriously injured because they were not wearing a seatbelt.

“Drivers and passengers who wear their seatbelts are 45 per cent less likely to die and 50 per cent less likely to be injured in a crash.

“Similarly, we know that using a mobile phone while driving is highly dangerous and you are four times more likely to be in a crash.

“Nationally in 2022, there were 22 people killed and 674 injured in collisions where a driver using a mobile phone was considered to be a contributory factor.

“We don’t use these camera systems to catch people – we use them to keep motorists safe by encouraging them to wear a seatbelt and not use their phones while driving. But if you are caught, you can expect either a driver education course or a fine and penalty points.”