Average speed camera installation begins on A483 Wrexham bypass

Yellow poles and associated equipment is being installed on the bypass this week, ready for cameras that will measure your average speed in a bid to cut pollution.

The 50mph limit is part of a Welsh Government initiative to reduce the levels of nitrogen dioxide on roads across Wales where emissions have been found to exceed legal limits.

Wrexham.com has been told informally that it is expected camera installation will progress next week, and after a period of calibration the cameras could go live for September.

Some yellow poles and associated equipment have been placed on the A483 over the last few days, ready for the camera installation.

The system being installed is a dual mounted camera pair that will measure the average speed of vehicles between two sets of cameras digitally, as well as being able to record vehicle numberplate information.

As we have reported previously the communication over the installation has been poor from Welsh Government, despite promises otherwise.

In June local AM Lesley Griffiths explained there would be enhanced communication on the issue, to make the public aware of why the 50mph limit was brought in, and why it is permanent.

No detail has been published on costs or equipment, however last year when we wrote about the options being considered the cameras were priced at £275,000 and included average speed enforcement cameras, equipment, traffic signs and ongoing maintenance. Data collection of numberplates to inform government policy was also mooted, but as is a common theme with the works, there has been silence over if that is going to happen.

No detail has been published by Wrexham Council, who have been critical previously on the lack of communication over works on the A483 by Welsh Government.

Signs indicating something is taking place have been in place around various junctions over the last few weeks:

We reported back in June comments from Lesley Griffiths AM, “I think we need signs saying, ‘Poor air quality kills, reduce your speed.’ We’re working on that signage, because certainly I’ve heard people say in Wrexham that they think it’s because of speed and why aren’t the police enforcing it.

“I think we need to make the public aware of why we’ve brought them in and why we’re going to make them permanent.”

“Certainly, the evidence that I’ve seen from across the five sites is mixed, but I think if we have signage saying very clearly that poor air quality kills and I think that you have to sometimes shock people, then people will adhere to the reduction more willingly.”

Top pic: The new vista from Pandy bridge as of yesterday.