This guide points out the accident hotspots where incident rates are higher in North West Wales, and also where speed cameras have been placed to try and reduce them.
Plus we reveal new locations targeted by the police to cut speed.
Accident hotspots
Between 1998 and 2001, 222 people were killed, 1,103 were seriously injured and 15,908 people slightly injured on North Wales' roads, at an estimated cost of £130m for the area. Over 2,300 of these were children.
Since the launch of the speed camera campaign, road accident deaths have been reduced by 47% and serious injuries by 40%.
The following locations have been identified as accident hotspots. It's also where police mobile speed cameras regularly patrol in a bid to reduce the toll.
Anglesey
B4545 Kingsland, Valley
B4545 Holyhead
B4545 Llangefni
Conwy
A548 Dundonald Avenue, Abergele
A548 Llandudno Prom - Rhos Point
A548 St Asaph Avenue, Kinmel Bay
Gwynedd
A5112 Llandygai Bangor
A4086 Cwm-y-Glo Llanrug
A496 Harlech Llanbedr
A470 Tal-y-Waenydd Congl-y-Wal, Blaenau Ffestiniog
A4212 Craig Las, Trawsfynydd
A470 Dolgellau
Static camera locations
Conwy
A55 Penmaenbach (Eastbound)
New targeted routes
Police and council officials announced in Winter 2002 that certain routes are being actively targeted to force drivers to reduce speed.
your comments
DJ LlanfihangelGM
It's simple really, stick to the speed limit and you will be ok, it's there for a reason you know. In our village we are constantly having to put up with motorbikes, and cars sometimes, going through the village at whatever speed they like, overtaking cars already driving at the correct speed. I would welcome a speed camera in our village on a regular basis, with the hope of stopping bikes using this road as a mini Isle of Man circuit. If they are so hell bent on doing this kind of speed on country roads, why not enter for next year's TT races or keep it for an organised track day at a proper circuit, they might save some innocent person's life.
Fri Jul 3 09:18:55 2009
Terry Ryan, Manchester
Out of Conwy into Tyn-y-Groes on a clear uncrowded day, within yards of coming from an unrestricted stretch of road into a 30 mph area, clocked at 35 mph by a deliberately obscured mobile speed camera, licence endorsed for 3 years! This is not about road safety, it is about people trying to justify their jobs and abusing their power by "hiding" their speed cameras to milk motorists. It ensures the public are left with a diminishing respect for the law and real contempt for the police as they act with no sense of fairness, tolerance or justice.
Thu Jul 2 09:59:40 2009
Solly Atwell, Estover
Let's not be fooled by the people working for the Safety Camera partnership. They are being paid to spout their rhetoric. We all know motorists are the biggest cash cow in the country. Already taxed to death with petrol, road tax etc we find they are the easist of targets for surveillance and prosecutions. After all it's so much easier to fine a car driver, traceable through number plates than it is to persue chavs & yobs through housing estates. Don't forget a car driver is the ONLY member of the Britsh population denied the basic freedom of the right to silence esconced in British law. Entrapment? Don't go there either. No one will convince me it's not all about money.(for the record I have not been caught speeding so have no axe to grind on that score)I have been hassled by drivers though because I try to stick to the limits. Seems you can't win. I'm sure eventually there will be men with red flags walking in font of vehicles again.
Mon Jun 22 10:55:19 2009
Jac, Llanberis
I was coming home from work one evening last week coming through the village of Bontnewydd towards Caernarfon and turned right to go towards the garage. As you pass the Spar shop on the right and go up the hill to go out of the village's 30mph zone into the 40mph zone which doesn't last long and it goes into 60mph. The speed camera van has been located right on the edge of the 40 zone just before you leave the village. People tend to get up to the 60mph because you can see that the sign ahead tells you the limit ends. In my opinion the van should be faced the other way catching people doing 60mph as they enter the village, not as you leave to go into the 60mph zone. I think this is easy revenue for the police.
Wed Jun 10 09:13:47 2009
Chris, Conwy
I was caught at a speed of 35 mph in a 30 limit by a mobile police camera van on Old Highway, Colwyn Bay. The van was pointing up the hill - I was travelling down towards the van. It is very difficult to keep a vehicle to 30mph when travelling down a steep hill. This is a countryside location, there are fields on either side of the road, no houses or pedestrians and not a sign anywhere to be seen to state the speed limit. I have always supported the police & speed cameras as I believe that if you break the law you take the consequences. In this case, I cannot see any other reason for the camera to be situated in this particular location other than for profit. In these circumstances, to ensure that you don't risk slipping above the speed limit you would need to keep your eyes on the speedo, not on the road.
Mon Apr 27 10:30:14 2009
Charles Jenkinson
Just found out North Wales police have a reputation for prosecuting for speeding offences. Don't I know it - coming off the roundabout at Holyhead (outside Anglesey Aluminium) on the Valley road - a 30mph road going into a 50mph zone and they book me for doing 39. Yes, it's 9mph over the limit, but it was a lovely clear road on a sunny Sunday lunchtime, with not a pedestrian in site. If that isn't revenue-raising entrapment, I don't know is.
Tue Apr 21 09:20:46 2009
Helen Griffiths, Wrexham
I never speed and last year, after someone pulled out on me causing me to write off my car and resulting in me having serious whiplash, I was caught in the courtesy car provided by the insurers.On my way to Betws-y-Coed, 60mph road and roadworks with no speed signs. I slowed down (to I thought 30) and imagine my disgust a week later when a speeding ticket came through the post.As if I am going to speed anyway after an accident like that. It is just a money making scam - they should be after the people (i.e. boy racers) who drive like maniacs through the towns etc.
Tue Apr 14 16:13:39 2009
Bob Craske, Carreglefn, Amlwch
I note with interest the claimed accident reduction figures, presumably from the 'Safety Camera Partnership'.As a result of the partnership's activities, we were told that we 'had no problem' {in our own village when we had a speeding problem outside the school} although they refused to disclose the actual figures despite a request under a freedom of information act. We still, however, have the speeding cars.
Tue Mar 3 09:24:18 2009
Ian, Mold
The main problem I have with cameras is that a drunk driver doing the speed limit will be safe, whereas I (sober) get caught!
Mon Feb 16 10:17:17 2009
Dave from Gwynedd
If the Government and Police really wanted to slow vehicles they would encourage manufacturers to fit cruise control and sensors and or gps to limit vehicle speed automatically. More Police on the ground looking for negligent and dangerous drivers would reduce accidents.
Tue Feb 10 09:45:53 2009
Jon Stead
I agree with reducing speeding in principal but the way North Wales Police have handled it has lost public support in this and other areas. Most people slam on the braeks when they see a camera then speed up once past it, which is far more dangerous.Why not have more visible patrol cars on the roads, not sneaky cops with cameras hiding in horse boxes?The police need to get the majority of public back on their side then people might be more adjusted to understanding and reducing deaths on our roads.
Tue Nov 4 16:43:02 2008
Michael Wood, Kent
I was recently done for speeding in north Wales, 36 in a 30mph zone) & offered the speed awareness course. I am diabetic & nearly 70 & live in Kent, but was told I had to go back to Flintshire to do it, so this would mean driving up the day before & staying the night there, doing the course staying that night & then driving home or pay the fine & get 3 points. I was told that although speed awareness courses were a national thing, North Wales had their own & were not part of the national scheme. So I was forced to pay up & get the points.
Mon Nov 3 10:48:45 2008
Rachel, Conwy
Do you object to speed cameras, or to being caught for breaking the law? If you "only" had one pint over the limit it's ok? Or you "only" punched someone instead of slapping them? "Only" stole a bag of crisps? That would all be acceptable?Why don't we all just make up our own rules for everything? Would you like it if people drove down your road where your kids and animals want to play in safety and "only" did 3/5/9mph over the speed limit?Speed restrictions are there to slow you down and protect the people who live in these areas. Due to the fact that so many people choose to ignore this or decide that they can go a few mph faster if they like, speed cameras are used to try to assist in slowing people down.Granted, some of them feel sneaky or signs are confusing but they do work. If you get caught speeding there's only one person to blame. Maybe you should slow down in future and observe the speed limit.We live on a busy road with a 30mph restriction which people frequently disregard - the road's used constantly day and night by holidaymakers and residents alike - do you have any idea what the difference in sound of passing traffic is like between 30mph and 40mph? Or how much faster 10mph is when you're on a bike, on foot, or a child or animal may run out into the road? Do you care? Or is the most important thing those extra 3.5 minutes you'll save by speeding?What gives you the right to determine what a "risky" area is? If you don't know the area, how do you know what the risks are? As for people who will never come back to Wales because they were caught speeding - fantastic! The more people like you that stay away, the better for all of us here.
Tue Sep 30 09:21:03 2008
Brian from Stockport
Whilst it's a nice theory that speed cameras in North Wales are there to reduce accidents, the reality is that they are there to trap unsuspecting motorists exceeding the speed limit on deserted roads by small margins. (35 mph in a 30 area was enough to get me 3 points.) They are often positioned just round a bend so that there is no advance warning of their presence.
Mon Sep 8 10:13:03 2008
Paul Bradley, Liverpool
There is a speed camera on the North Wales Road on the way back to Liverpool. The speed limit is set at 60mph (national for country roads). This camera constantly makes people worry about there speed and they tend to BRAKE suddenly because they think the camera is set at normal road speeds (i.e.30 or 40mph).. Instaed of having a sign with a black line over a white background it would be far better to STATE the limit with NUMBERS.. This camera will one day be the COURSE of an accident..
Thu Aug 28 09:39:11 2008
