2,000 drivers caught speeding at Culmore

A total of 961 people were detected, via mobile cameras, speeding on the Culmore Road in 2015.

This was actually down on the previous year, when 1,396 people were detected.

It is understood many of the speeding offences were recorded on the 30 miles per hour stretch of road from Culmore roundabout to Pennyburn roundabout.

The Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership has just released the figures as part of a wider publication on detection by cameras across Northern Ireland.

Overall, speeding incidents and people running red lights was up almost 10% in 2015 compared to 2014.

In the Clooney Road area of the Waterside, there were 253 speed detections by mobile cameras last year, up slightly on the previous year. There were a further 805 at Dungiven Road. Waterside - which was around half the number caught speeding the previous year, when 1,637 people were caught speeding at this location.

The only other site listed in Derry is the Glenshane Road, where 66 people were caught speeding, roughly the same number as the year before.

Concerns have been raised locally over the locations and purpose of the speed camera deployment.

One local businessman, Stephen Kelly, said: “Probably like most others drivers, I’m frustrated by the time and the locations chosen by these mobile cameras.

“Certainly anything that would discourage excess speed is a good thing but there is widespread suspicion that these are in the wrong locations and the wrong times as a means to simply gather cash rather than make the roads safer.”

Mr Kelly added: “Why are there no speed checks on the Culmore or Strand Roads or others late at night to discourage the boy racers?

“Why are they at the end of the very few overtaking lanes on the route to Belfast? We all want safer roads, but there’s a need for the authorities to deal with the perception and the suspicion which their current policy creates.”

The Road Safety Partnership states that its aim is to support the Road Safety Strategy 202 by reducing speed via enforcement as well as delivering education campaigns.