Work has begun on installing three new speed cameras at key locations across Southampton, as authorities ramp up efforts to tackle dangerous driving and reduce serious collisions on city roads.
The project, known as the Southampton City Red Light Speed on Green (RLSOG) initiative, is a joint operation between Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Southampton City Council, and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones. The scheme will see the replacement of outdated speed cameras, many of which have been in place since the early 2000s, with more advanced technology designed to improve road safety.
The first phase targets three sites where the old cameras will be swapped out for new models: the A3024 Northam Bridge, A3024 Northam Road near the junction with Brinton’s Road, and A335 Thomas Lewis Way close to the Dukes Road and Horseshoe Bridge junction. Installation work on Northam Bridge began on Monday, with the camera on Northam Road scheduled for later in the week. The upgrade on Thomas Lewis Way will follow at a later, yet-to-be-confirmed date.
Unlike their predecessors, these new systems combine speed detection and traffic signal enforcement, focusing on areas with a known history of serious crashes linked to speeding and red-light violations. On average, speed is a factor in the deaths or serious injury of 2,815 people each year in the UK. In Southampton alone, between October 2021 and September 2024, there were 1,385 collisions resulting in injury, with excessive speed or ignoring signals cited as a factor in nearly 90 cases.
The most severe consequences are even starker at the county level: between January 2022 and December 2024, nearly one in five fatal collisions in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight involved drivers exceeding the speed limit.
Sergeant Jamie Dobson of the Roads Policing Unit, who has witnessed the aftermath of fatal crashes first-hand, said that public attitudes towards speed cameras need to shift.
“I’ve had to attend the scenes of crashes where a person has died, and then gone to tell their families that their loved ones had been killed on our roads by a speeding driver,” Sgt Dobson said. “There is an extremely cynical view of speed cameras in this country and that really needs to change. Many assume they are there just to make money off of motorists, but don’t take into account how effective they are at forcing you to think about your speed. To be completely honest we hope that the cameras don’t catch anyone speeding. That would mean people are driving within the speed limit and the deterrent factor of the cameras are enough to make these roads safer.”
The project has not been without controversy. When the first new camera was installed at Northam Bridge in January this year, it was deliberately damaged within hours. Social media speculation quickly followed, with some suggesting the devices were linked to a ULEZ-style tax or were equipped with AI, facial recognition, or ANPR capabilities. Others raised concerns about privacy and surveillance.
Police and council officials have rejected these claims as misinformation. “None of this speculation was accurate. These cameras do not have facial recognition, ANPR or AI technology. They are not part of any ULEZ scheme,” Sgt Dobson said. “The cameras can only check for speeding and red light offences and are simply an upgrade to existing older systems. Essentially they are here for one reason only – to make our roads safer.”
PCC Jones added: “Replacing the camera has unnecessarily cost Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary considerable time and resources. The people who oppose these devices are undermining safety efforts and are ultimately putting lives at risk.”
As work continues, authorities hope that the new cameras will act as a strong deterrent to dangerous driving and help save lives on Southampton’s roads.
Speed cameras remain one of the UK’s most controversial road safety measures. Supporters point to studies showing collisions fall by 20–40% at camera sites, while critics argue they are little more than “cash cows.” Revenue from fines does raise millions, though proceeds go to central government rather than directly to police forces.
Globally, Britain has one of the densest networks of cameras, though it is no longer top of the list. France and Italy now operate more devices overall, with Australia and the Netherlands also deploying extensive coverage.
The UK’s speed limits also fuel debate. Motorways are capped at 70mph (113 km/h), lower than many European countries, and urban areas increasingly enforce 20mph (32 km/h) zones. This makes the UK among the strictest nations for city driving, though not on rural or motorway roads.
Locally in Southampton, the city operates around 31 traffic enforcement cameras, integrated into a broader network of over 300 CCTV and traffic units that cover approximately 12 square miles across the city and main arterial routes. Southampton City Council
Regarding who benefits from the revenue: all speeding fines are directed to the UK Treasury’s Consolidated Fund, not to Southampton City Council or the police. These bodies do not receive direct income from fines, nor is there a mechanism for them to benefit financially, even if they handle or administer the enforcement.
