As many residents will recall, acoustic cameras were installed on the A34 bypass near the Whitehall Bridge roundabout towards the end of October 2022.
The noise-activated cameras were purchased and installed as a joint venture between the Police & Crime Commissioner and Cheshire East Highways to crack down on noisy anti-social motorists. Placed on a roundabout approach on the A34 Pendleton Way, between Wilmslow and Alderley Edge, they are monitored, virtually, by Cheshire Police.
Since the installation of the acoustic camera on 21 October 2022 until the 16 April 2024 (when the camera was removed) there were a total of 2,021 activations. An activation of the camera is defined as a situation where a vehicle using the road emits a sound which is over 90 dB (so called 'trigger event').
A breakdown of the incidents, obtained via a Freedom of Information Request, shows they were increasing signifanctly. In the first three months of 2024 there were 447 activations compared with the corresponding months in 2023 when there were 193.
Incidents recorded by the camera could not be used to impose fines, that would depend on Cheshire East introducing a Public Space Protection Order. Had the Council put a Public Space Protection Order in place this would have meant that approximately £200,000 in fines could have been issued generating much needed funds for the cash-strapped council.
Local resident Alan Butler, who spoke at the recent Council meeting told wilmslow.co.uk "After nineteen months Cheshire East failed to initiate the PSPO process despite Cheshire Police's offer to manage both the camera and back-office support for it. The PCC withdrew trial funding and Cheshire East arranged for the camera to be removed in April 2024. An opportunity to improve the lives of residents and benefit from fine proceeds was not acted upon."
Councillor Craig Browne said "Unfortunately officers at Cheshire East Council have been reluctant to begin the process of making a PSPO due to their lack of a "back office" resource to process the fines and deal with any legal challenges.
"Needless to say, I am finding this incredibly frustrating, but will continue to work with the Police & Crime Commissioner to try and persuade officers that this is necessary."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
CE appear to be too concerned with making a total hash of waste collection to be bothered about what their residents want sorting out.
Remind me what do we pay our PCC to do?
The camera solution was frustrated by an anonymous employed officer or officers. Power in CE isn’t held by those who we elect.
Something serious needs to be done to deal with this problem.
We are really struggling with the noise levels.
At a time when CEC is effectively bankrupt and we will inevitably suffer higher Council Tax demands for diminishing services, this catastrophic and negligent waste of our money is particularly hard to swallow.
https://www.wilmslow.co.uk/news/article/24170/failure-to-impose-public-order-means-council-loses-over-130000-in-fines-for-noisy-drivers?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter1595
So please have your say there too.