NEW cameras that measure vehicles' average speed were due to be introduced in Suffolk for the first time today.The devices, mounted on poles, will enforce a 40mph speed limit over the Orwell Bridge for the next two months.

NEW cameras that measure vehicles' average speed were due to be introduced in Suffolk for the first time today.

The devices, mounted on poles, will enforce a 40mph speed limit over the Orwell Bridge for the next two months.

They work by calculating the time it takes for the vehicle to travel between two set points. If the journey is completed too quickly, a ticket is issued.

Terry Marsh, project manager for Suffolk SafeCam, who will be managing the devices, said: "One of the main benefits of this system is that the cameras measure average speeds and can cover long stretches of road. This means the entire stretch of the safety zone is enforced and drivers are therefore discouraged from speeding up once they have passed a camera."

Although they have been introduced permanently elsewhere in the country, Suffolk SafeCam said there are no plans to make it a permanent arrangement in the county.

They will only being used to control traffic while repairs are carried out to the Orwell Bridge, over the next six to eight weeks.

Mr Marsh added: "Much of the safety inspection will take place underneath and inside the bridge itself. It is therefore essential that we are able to control driver speeds throughout the safety zone"

Warning signs have been set up to alert road users to the new system, with vehicle-activated signs to remind drivers of the speed limit.

Michelle Finnerty, communications manager for Suffolk SafeCam, said, "This is the first time that this camera system has been used in Suffolk but we know that it has been very successful in other counties.

"We want drivers to understand that the reduced speed limit is in place for good reason. In 2002, the year for which the latest figures are available, five road workers were killed and 29 seriously injured in the course of their job."

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www.suffolksafecam.co.uk