NEW police speed camera vans that can spot a drunk driver from as much as a mile away are being rolled out on Britain’s roads.
The vans can also catch motorists not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones behind the wheel.
Four new vans will be deployed in the West Midlands and can operate 24- hours-a-day, seven days a week.
The vans are marked with camera symbols accompanied by the words “Speed Enforcement Police” to distinguish them.
Each van costs around £47,000 and come packed with the latest technology in a bid to crackdown on bad drivers.
The cameras are positioned at the back of the van and look through a small top-hung outward window.
They can produce hi-res images showing drivers using a mobile phone behind the wheel from a mile away.
Officers also say the powerful cameras can provide evidence of people driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster signed off on a £188,000 of funding for four new vans for West Midlands Police.
He said: “Speeding is a major factor in road collisions, and it’s something I and West Midlands Police are determined to tackle.
“This investment, via the Safer Streets Fund, will significantly enhance our ability to catch speeding drivers and make our roads safer for everyone.
“There is no place for dangerous, reckless driving in our region.
“There have been far too many innocent lives lost as a result of those speeding above the limit.
“I look forward to seeing the vans out in action knowing the huge impact they will have to help improve safety on our roads.”
The new mobile speed camera units will catch drivers who fall foul of the fatal four guidelines – speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not wearing a seatbelt, and using a mobile phone while driving.
In 2023 a record 1,149 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads across the West Midlands.
This compares with 1,1056 in 2022 and 932 victims in 2021.
The force, which now has eight speed camera vans, is aiming to halve the number of road-related deaths by 2030.
Superintendent Gareth Mason, who heads up the force’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “Our message is clear: if you speed, you will be caught.
“These additional vans allow us to be more visible in communities and at known speeding hotspots, sending a strong message that speeding is unacceptable.
“Doubling the number of speed enforcement vans is a real game changer – this will dramatically strengthen our capacity to enforce the law across our road network.
“I’d like to thank the PCC for securing this level of investment as we all work together to help dramatically drive down speeds in our region.
“Our aim is to change the mindset of motorists. Drive safe and don’t put others at risk.”
