SPEED cameras have slashed serious and fatal road accidents by 68 per cent in Worcestershire, say safety leaders.

There was an average of 33 deaths or serious injuries per year on roads in Worcestershire before speed cameras were introduced in the county, according to figures released by the Safer Roads Partnership.

But since cameras started to be introduced from 2003 onwards the average number of fatalities or serious injuries on these same roads is now down to about 11 per year.

The partnership has fixed cameras, like the ones on New Road and Bath Road in Worcester, mobile cameras operated from police vans and mobile GATSO cameras on tripods which have been used in the city’s Tybridge Street.

Overall there are now 31 camera sites in Worcestershire and 11 in Herefordshire, where there are either fixed or mobile cameras.

Herefordshire experienced an even bigger fall in the numbers of serious/fatal road accidents since the introduction of cameras – a 74 per cent drop.

The average number of deaths/serious injuries was 13 per year before the partnership began introducing speed cameras. Now it is down to about three per year.

Overall, across the West Mercia police area, which includes Worcestershire and Herefordshire, the numbers of fatal/serious injury accidents have fallen by 70 per cent.

The figures were announced at the first annual review conference held by the Safer Roads Partnership in Hereford, which was the first to be held since it was given a wider remit to cover all aspects of road safety. Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, chaired the conference which was held at the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford.