New speed camera installed on busy Wigan road to replace device felled in spate of attacks

The new yellow camera and pole have been erected on Whelley, close to Canon Sharples Primary School.

The previous device was felled at some point on the evening of Tuesday January 16, landing on the highway on an already hazardous night due to wintry conditions.

It was the fourth such attack in just a few weeks, with other devices being dramatically disabled on Wallgate, Warrington Road and Spring Road in Kitt Green.

The cameras had only been in place for a short time when they were targeted, replacing older models at locations across the borough.

The Orrell attack was caught on a CCTV camera and the Warrington Road incident was witnessed, with an onlooker telling police that two men had been involved and were using an angle grinder.

Subsequently a 67-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and was bailed pending further inquiries.

Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) head of highways Peter Boulton condemned the damage to the cameras at the time and said it would cost £100,000 to replace them.

He said: “We strongly condemn the irresponsible actions of those who have vandalised spot speed safety cameras which have recently been upgraded in Wigan. These cameras are used to stop people speeding, reduce collisions and make our roads safer for everyone that uses them.

“Speeding is a cause in most fatal collisions and in Wigan borough alone 57 people have been needlessly killed or seriously injured between 2020 and 2022 as a result of speeding.

“It is beyond reckless for these people to vandalise these spot speed safety cameras, and I would urge them to consider the potential consequences of there being one less camera on our roads, and how they would feel if the next person killed by someone speeding is a friend, relative or loved one.”

Last autumn it was announced that TfGM had signed a contract with Jenoptik UK to upgrade many cameras across the region, including several sites in Wigan.

The state-of-the-art technology can catch motorists speeding in both directions at the same time, without the need for road markings, and there is no flash either.