Devon & Cornwall Police News site

The installation of a new camera pole in Northam has sparked widespread discussion online, prompting Devon & Cornwall Police to address misinformation relating to speed cameras.

As part of the safety camera upgrade programme, Devon County Council and Devon & Cornwall Police analysed speed and collision data in the area, and a decision was made to install a new, bi-directional safety camera to replace the existing camera sited near on Lakenham Hill.

Safety camera renovation works were scheduled to commence in Northam in early 2026, however, the installation of a new camera pole has sparked discussion on social media.

Neighbourhood Team Leader for Bideford, Sergeant Glyn Clark said: “We understand there has been lots of conversation locally surrounding the installation of a new camera pole.

“I want to stress that this is a replacement camera which is being fitted close to the one the council are replacing as part of an upgrade program.

“We welcome the relocation of the speed camera near Heywood Road in Northam, which reinforces our commitment to the Vision Zero strategy that aims to eliminate all road fatalities and serious injuries by 2050.

“Speeding is often a key factor in collisions and poses a serious risk, not only to drivers but to pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

“The fact that we are promoting the exact location of this camera shows that this isn’t about a quick way to generate money, it’s simply about enforcing the 30mph limit on a route which has historically seen several serious collisions.

“By focusing data led interventions at high-harm areas, the Vision Zero road safety partnership aims to create safer communities and encourage responsible driving.”

Excessive or inappropriate speed is a common factor in many collisions and is one of the fatal five offences, alongside careless driving, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.

The new camera in Northam will be used to enforce the 30mph speed limit on the road with a view to making the village safer for the local community and for other motorists.

Planning Transportation & Environment Officer at Devon County Council, James Anstee, said “Devon County Council supports speed cameras to improve road safety. This route has been camera-enforced for over twenty years, but the old speed camera at the top of Lakenham Hill had reached the end of its operational life, prompting a need to replace or remove it. 

“The decision to replace this camera was based on traffic speeds and collision data. The new site was chosen because most collisions occurred between Heywood Road roundabout and the Churchill Way junction. This part of the route also had the highest number of recorded speeding vehicles, with typical weekly speeds exceeding 38 mph in both directions of travel.

“A new site was needed to accommodate a camera that can enforce in both directions of travel, and the new site was selected to provide drivers with greater visibility of the camera compared to the former site on the bend at the top of Lakenham Hill.

“The intention of these cameras is to reduce speeds and injuries, not to penalise motorists.”

Sergeant Owen Messenger heads up the Road Casualty Reduction team at Devon & Cornwall Police, and is also a well-known face on YouTube and TikTok where he regularly collaborates with the George’s Car Media to educate the public about cars and road safety (including drink and drug driving, car modification, motorbike safety, numberplate laws, tips for towing caravans and road safety around horses).

Sgt Messenger has previously debunked common myths and and responded to frequently asked questions relating to speeding and speed cameras:

Why do you enforce speeding?

Speed is a major contributory factor in fatal and serious road collisions which we want to eliminate. Travelling too fast gives you less time to react if something happens and significantly increases your chances of sustaining serious or fatal injuries in the event of a collision.

The council are responsible for the installation of speed cameras in Devon.

With modern car technology and improvements to things like brakes, shouldn’t the speed limit be higher?

While driving technology has certainly progressed significantly in recent years, cars are still operated by humans who can mistakes. Sgt Messenger says: “The majority of collisions we attend are down to driver error and your reaction time is exactly the same in a modern car as it would be in a car from 30 years ago.”

Are these cameras collecting my data?

No. These speed cameras are Home Office Type Approved and use automatic number plate recognition to link a speeding offence to a vehicle. They cannot record driver or vehicle data for any other purpose.

Do the cameras only work on cars travelling in one direction?

No, bi-directional camera technology can accurately detect the speed of vehicles moving towards the camera and away from it.

Are speed cameras cash cows or revenue collectors?

Speed cameras are not about collecting money. The sole purpose of the cameras is to slow people down on the road and reduce the number of road traffic collisions.

It’s important to remember that driving is a privilege, not a right. When you sign up for a driving license, you sign up to follow by the rules – which are all there for your safety.

Sgt Messenger added: “If you are caught speeding and given penalty points and a fine, we don’t see any of that money. It goes straight to the national Treasury who decide how and where it is spent.

“If you are offered a driver education course, a percentage of this money does come back to the force but can only be spent on improving road safety within the force area.”

If you have concerns about regular speeding in your area, please report them to your local council.

If you witness a vehicle being driven dangerously and believe there may be a risk to life, please always call 999.