POLICE in Suffolk are to install five new speed cameras on the county's roads.The new cameras are being introduced as part of a police and county council project to improve safety on the county's roads and to target known accident blackspots.

POLICE in Suffolk are to install five new speed cameras on the county's roads.

The new cameras are being introduced as part of a police and county council project to improve safety on the county's roads and to target known accident blackspots.

They will join Suffolk Constabulary's six existing fixed speed camera sites, which are currently based on the A12 at Benhall, the A140 at Coddenham and four cameras on the A14 at Haughley, near Stowmarket.

The new cameras will be installed along the A140 at Brome and at Earl Stonham, the A1065 at Brandon, the A1144 at Lowestoft and the A1304 at Newmarket.

Terry Marsh, project manager of the Suffolk Safety Camera Partnership, said: "The aim of this project is to reduce casualties on Suffolk's roads by encouraging drivers to slow down.

"Enforcement will be targeted at sites where there has been a record of serious or fatal accidents. This will be done using a series of new fixed and mobile speed cameras throughout the county."

Mr Marsh said the project had been developed through a joint partnership comprising the county council, Suffolk police, the Highways Agency, magistrates' courts and local hospitals.

"Extra staff will be recruited to run the project which will be self financing as running costs will be covered by income from fixed penalty notices," he added.

The anticipated income from the first year of operating the scheme is £2.4million. The costs of setting it up will be recoverable, with any surplus returned to the Government.

The partnership has set itself a target of reducing personal injury accidents in the areas of the camera sites by 25 per cent and the same figure for accidents involving fatal or serious injuries.

Suffolk Constabulary presently operates 250 speed enforcement sites in the county, which have been identified as a collision hotspot or have attracted complaints from residents.

The force has estimated the financial savings for the county through speed cameras is £5.6million.

It has also estimated that during the first year of operation, there will be a reduction of between 30% and 50% in collisions at the camera sites.

Members of Suffolk Police Authority are due to discuss the new safety cameras at a meeting on Friday.