Norfolk police commissioner slams A47 speed camera block

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Norfolk's police and crime commissioner has criticised Norfolk County Council after the authority's objection to A47 speed cameras led to the plan being scrapped.

Sarah Taylor said she was "so frustrated" county council leaders had blocked the safety proposals.

Norfolk police and crime commissioner Sarah Taylor (Image: Jason Bye)

National Highways had proposed cutting the speed limit between Little Fransham and the Dereham bypass from 60mph to 50mph, with average speed cameras installed to enforce it.

But Norfolk County Council objected and, in March last year, National Highways ditched the scheme, which would have used automatic number plate reading for cameras to record speed between two points.

Ms Taylor, who quit Labour to become an independent last year, raised the matter at a meeting of Norfolk Police and Crime Panel, during discussions about the number of people killed or hurt on Norfolk's roads.

Statistics show 514 people were killed or seriously injured on the county's roads in 2025, up 2.2pc on the 503 in 2024.

Ms Taylor said: "I'm so frustrated that Norfolk County Council objected to one of the schemes which would have improved safety on our roads.

"I spoke with Norfolk highways last week. That scheme is not going to come forward again.

"So we now have a piece of trunk road which will not be made safer because of that objection which is really disappointing."

Conservative council leaders had been against the speed limit cut and cameras near Little Fransham.

Graham Plant (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Graham Plant, the council's cabinet member for highways, had argued the full dualling of the A47 was the way to make the road safer in the long-term, rather than cutting speed.

But Ms Taylor said: "A few average speed cameras does not prejudice the delivery of a dualling scheme in future and we should be advocating for safer roads today, regardless of what improvements might come tomorrow."

Average speed cameras are now in place on the A47 Acle StraightAverage speed cameras were installed on the A47 Acle Straight (Image: Dan Grimmer)

National Highways did install speed cameras and lower the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph on the notorious Acle Straight, near Great Yarmouth.

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