INTERACTIVE MAP: The ten busiest speed cameras in Cornwall

DRIVERS in Cornwall and Devon forked out more than £720,000 in fines after being caught by speed cameras last year.

Figures released to this newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) show that speed cameras in both Newquay and St Blazey were among those that caught law-breaking motorists most often in Cornwall.

Last year 12,016 £60 fixed penalty notices were paid to the Treasury in speeding fines, which were clocked across the Devon and Cornwall force area by cameras. This totals £720,960 – but does not include fines imposed at court proceedings.

The figures, provided by the Safety Camera Partnership, show the Top Ten cameras with the highest number of activations between January 1, 2011 and the present day.

A camera on the eastbound A30 at Roseworthy dip, near Camborne caught the most people speeding in Cornwall with 1,579 activations, while a camera on the westbound A38 at Notter Bridge, near Saltash had the second highest reading at 1,525.

The A390 camera at Doubletrees in St Blazey was third highest with 1,239 while a second camera in St Blazey, on the A390, at Rosehill, had 181 activations – the eighth highest in the county.

Newquay's Henver Road camera clocked the fifth highest amount of speeders in Cornwall at 528.

Newquay's police inspector, Dave Meredith, said the results showed there is a speeding problem in Henver Road.

"Newquay police recognise the importance of speed cameras and the invaluable work as part of the Community Safety Partnership," he said.

Newquay central Cornwall councillor, Geoff Brown, said although the camera was outside his patch, he was aware there had been "serious accidents" at the camera's location in the past.

View Cornwall Top 10 Speed Cameras in a larger map

"I know that the crossing in this location is regularly used by young people going to and from school and that there have been serious accidents at the location so hopefully the camera serves to encourage people to reduce speed and drive safely," he said.

"The one thing that we do not know is how many accidents have been avoided and lives saved due to the installation of the camera."

Between 2011 and 2012, the total cost of maintaining speed cameras across Devon and Cornwall was more than £1 million.

Excessive speed is deemed to be 20mph over the limit in a 30mph restriction and 26mph over the limit in all other restrictions. These high speed offences will be referred directly to court.

Mid-range speeders will receive a Conditional Offer of a fixed penalty while low-end speeders are offered a speed awareness course thereby avoiding a fine and penalty points. Almost 50 per cent of motorists caught speeding in Devon and Cornwall are offered the course.

Factfile

Top Ten cameras with the most activations across Cornwall from January 1, 2011 to present day.

1, A30 Roseworthy Dip east 1579

2, A38 Notter Bridge west 1525

3, A390 Doubletrees, St Blazey 1239

4, A390 Tresawls Road, Truro west 789

5, Henver Road, Newquay 528

6, A3047 Agar Road, Redruth west 520

7, A390 Tresawls Road, Truro east 219

8, A390 Rosehill, St Blazey east 181

9, A3047 Agar Road, Redruth west 49

10, A30 Roseworthy Dip west 34