New speed cameras are set to be installed across the West Midlands to crack down on dangerous driving. Authorities say the plan will save lives, but critics argue it could unfairly target everyday motorists. Richard Gullick reports.
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00:00Speeding and reckless driving have become grim features of life in the West Midlands.
00:09Now a new agreement promises a fresh wave of speed cameras across the region's worst hotspots.
00:15West Midlands Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the combined authority have all signed off on the plan.
00:22Their goal, halve deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and bring the figure down to zero by 2040.
00:29More cameras will be installed where the risk to life is highest. Existing ones will be better maintained and upgraded with newer tech like spot cameras and red light sensors.
00:39There's also a push for more fines and more speed awareness courses, not just for the sake of cash but to shift behaviour on our roads.
00:47Behind the numbers are real people, families devastated, lives changed forever and the authorities say enough is enough.
00:54Birmingham declared a road safety emergency last summer. The City Council says dangerous driving has become normalised.
01:01Some believe this new strategy is a longer overdue wake up call.
01:05But others argue it's yet another hammer blow to law avoiding motorists, punishing the many for the sins of the few.
01:12Opposition councillors have warned that targeting drivers with more cameras won't fix a deeper cultural problem.
01:19Either way, with the millions already spent and more investment promised, it's clear the powers that be are betting big on enforcement.
01:26The real question now is whether this fresh crackdown will actually change habits or simply shift them elsewhere.
01:33In a city where racing at the lights can feel as common as the morning traffic jam, it might take more than cameras to fix the damage already done.
01:43All rec agony can be gone.