New speed cameras are being installed in Gloucestershire.

The Community Speedwatch Safety Fund, a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), aims to make the county’s roads safer for the pedestrians, cyclists and motorists that use them.

Rural areas in the Cotswolds will be among the first to benefit from the fund with speedwatch cameras, helping to encourage motorists to drive with care. The first cameras will be operational in Quenington by the middle of October.

Over time speedwatch cameras will be installed across all six districts in the many communities that have already applied for this funding. 

The £600,000 fund allows community groups to make applications for a range of measures. These include Road Safety Officer support, speed surveys, road safety-themed wheelie bin stickers, vehicle activated signs to encourage drivers to slow down, and community speedwatch cameras. 

Applications for the first phase of funding will continue to be accepted until August 31, and must be supported by the local county councillor. 

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member responsible for road safety policy at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “This fund is all about making our communities safer and helping to reduce the number of road deaths and injuries in Gloucestershire.

“I am delighted that we have been able to work with the OPCC to create this fund and that communities are now starting to feel the benefits of it."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire Chris Nelson said: “Speeding is the bane of so many communities and one of the issues that people raise with me most when I am out and about. 

“Motorists have a responsibility to treat other road users with respect and it is disappointing that despite all the evidence and warnings of the dangers involved so many drivers think it’s still ok to go over the limit, putting themselves and others at risk.

“We want to help road users to make better choices, whilst acknowledging that we can all make mistakes. I hope our investment in the county council’s Speedwatch fund will help make our roads safer.”

For information on the fund, visit gloucestershire.gov.uk/your-community/the-community-speedwatch-fund