Skip to main content

A9 average speed cameras improving road safety

The latest report by the A9 Safety Group on accident statistics on the A9 in Scotland indicate that there continues to be a sustained improvement in driver behaviour and a corresponding fall in collisions and casualties. The report contains collision and casualty data for the first 18 months of operation of the average speed cameras to 30 April 2016, which is the mid-point of the evaluation period. The other performance data covers the period to 30 June 2016 unless otherwise stated.
September 1, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

The latest report by the A9 Safety Group on accident statistics on the A9 in Scotland indicate that there continues to be a sustained improvement in driver behaviour and a corresponding fall in collisions and casualties.

The report contains collision and casualty data for the first 18 months of operation of the average speed cameras to 30 April 2016, which is the mid-point of the evaluation period. The other performance data covers the period to 30 June 2016 unless otherwise stated.

In human terms, says the report, four fewer people have been killed, 22 fewer seriously injured and 62 fewer people slightly injured on the A9 in this 18 month period compared to the equivalent baseline period. There are also additional benefits brought through reduced incidents and their subsequent impact, which has improved journey time reliability.

The main headlines from the data monitoring are: The number of fatal casualties between Dunblane and Inverness is down by over 33% compared to the baseline average, while the number of ‘fatal and serious’ collisions between Dunblane and Inverness overall is down by over 45%, with fatal and serious casualties down 62%. There have been no fatal collisions between Dunblane and Perth and the number of serious collisions and injuries is down by almost 85%.

The number of ‘fatal and serious’ collisions between Perth and Inverness is down by almost 32%, with fatal and serious casualties down by almost 58% and the number of serious injury casualties between Perth and Inverness is down by over 71%.

The overall number of casualties of all classes between Dunblane and Inverness is down by 50%.

The number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit remains low, at 1 in 10 compared to the historic benchmark figure of 1 in 3 and the number of vehicles speeding excessively (more than 10 mph above the speed limit) remains low, with a sustained reduction from the historic benchmark figure of 1 in 10 vehicles to 1 in 250.

The number of vehicles detected by the average speed camera system which were considered by Police Scotland for further action remains extremely low at an average of 13 per day (less than 0.03% of the overall volume of vehicles using the route).

Related Content

  • FTA supports A9 HGV speed limit trial
    October 10, 2014
    The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has given its support to the HGV speed limit trial which commences on the A9 in Scotland on Tuesday 28 October. The pilot project on the A9 will raise the speed limit on the single carriageway sections between Perth and Inverness from 40 to 50mph for heavy goods vehicles which have a laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes. The trial, which will last 36 months and is to be introduced at the same time as a new average speed camera system, is aimed at improving the opera
  • Stepped speed limits improve workzone congestion and safety
    January 30, 2012
    Traffic flow has been improved, congestion eased and safety increased - by a system of 'stepped speed limits' introduced to UK roadworks. URS Scott Wilson principal consultant Jamie Uff reports
  • Road safety award for average speed scheme
    November 28, 2014
    A route enforcement and casualty reduction scheme on the strategic A14 in the UK has won a prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. The A14 route between the Midlands and East Anglia operates at the national speed limit of 70mph as a dual carriageway with central reserve and no hard shoulder. The average annual daily traffic figure is 74,000 and with no motorways or other high standard diversion routes along this corridor, journeys can be seriously delayed when congestion or collisio
  • TfL upgrades London’s speed and red light safety cameras
    September 18, 2014
    Transport for London (TfL) has begun work on a programme to overhaul the capital’s road safety camera network; replacing hundreds of old wet film cameras with modern and more efficient digital safety cameras in order to help further reduce casualties on London’s roads. According to TfL, safety cameras have proved successful in reducing road casualties in recent years. At locations where safety cameras operate in the capital, research shows that the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) fell