Average speed cameras are being installed across Greater Manchester after almost 600 people lost their lives or were seriously injured in just two years.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said it was upgrading speed cameras across 25 routes with the latest generation of average speed systems, which track how long it takes a vehicle to travel between two set points on a road using ANPR technology.

The system works by sending information automatically to the camera shortly after the vehicle has left the monitored section, an image is captured and if the vehicle is travelling too fast this will be shared with Greater Manchester police (GMP).

Superintendent Gareth Parkin from GMP’s specialist operations said: “These speed camera upgrades across 25 routes in Greater Manchester are a fantastic improvement on road safety measures for all who live, work and visit the area.

“We have seen almost 600 people either lose their lives or be seriously injured between 2020 and 2022, this is completely unacceptable.

“Speeding represents one of the ‘fatal four’ that we focus on here in Greater Manchester, alongside drink and drug driving, using mobile devices behind the wheel and the non-wearing of seat belts.”

“We are proud to be working with our partners at Transport for Greater Manchester to try and eradicate reckless and anti-social drivers from our roads.”

TfGM added that the cameras were only approved by the Home Office for speed enforcement and would not be used for any other monitoring purposes.

They are also not capable of automatically detecting any other offences such us using a mobile phone while driving, or not wearing a seat belt.

But if the police identified any other offences taking place when reviewing the speeding offence imagery, then the driver could be told to take a speed awareness course or issued with a fixed penalty notice.

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