Work is underway this month to install ten average-speed cameras along Portsdown Hill in Portsmouth, as part of a move to improve road safety on a route that has been described as one of the most dangerous in Hampshire. The project, led by Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, follows a £560,000 contract agreement designed to tackle speeding and reduce the noise pollution that has affected local residents.
The cameras will monitor speeds along Portsdown Hill Road and James Callaghan Drive, which serve as a busy commuter route between Fareham and Havant. Over the past five years, the area has recorded 61 injuries and four deaths resulting from traffic collisions. This history includes a fatal head-on collision on James Callaghan Drive in May 2022 that claimed the lives of two men and left a 13-year-old boy with serious injuries.
The installation is being delivered in partnership with Portsmouth City Council and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary. The system is expected to be fully operational once installation and final calibration are completed throughout April and May. As part of the wider safety initiative, a 30mph speed limit will also be implemented across the stretch.
According to research from the RAC Foundation, the use of average-speed cameras has been found to reduce crashes resulting in death or serious injury by more than a third on average. Commissioner Jones noted that these measures are intended to change driver behaviour and address the ongoing concerns regarding safety and noise levels that continue to impact the lives of thousands of people living near the road.
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