Speeding motorists are to be targeted with a mobile number plate recognition system to be rolled out across the county, including hotpots in the Felixstowe area

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) will be rotated around sites where there is a problem with speeding or rat-running on roads with a 20 or 30mph speed limit.

A number of of areas, in the town and neighbouring villages are known to suffer speeders.

The devices, 10 in total, will display the speeds of drivers to them as they approach, encouraging them to slow down. 

If they continue to ignore the speed limit the ANPR camera will take a picture of them and record the date, time, speed, vehicle registration and a photo of the vehicle. 

In certain cases, persistent offenders will be reported to Suffolk Constabulary and, while no one will be prosecuted as a direct result of the devices, they may be visited by a police officer who will speak to them about their driving.

The information shared with the police may also influence the deployment of speed enforcement vans to problem areas. 

This project is part of the Suffolk Roadsafe Partnership between Suffolk County Council and Suffolk Constabulary.

Suffolk County Council provided £400,000 from the 2020 Fund to support a two-year trial.

A grant of £30,000 has also been awarded by the Road Safety Trust to evaluate the project and establish whether the camera scheme is effective in reducing speeding.

Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet member for Ipswich, Operational Highways and Flooding, said: "Speeding traffic is a danger to everyone and a blight on the community it passes through.

"This scheme tackles this problem by reminding drivers that they need to slow down - and if they don't, they can expect to be contacted and told their driving is unacceptable.

"If it makes motorists reflect on how fast they drive and understand the need to slow down then it has done its job."

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, said: "As a member of Suffolk Roadsafe I am very pleased to support this County Council initiative to improve road safety across the county. 

"Speeding is one of the main issues the public raises with me, so anything we can do to remind drivers to keep to the speed limit is to be applauded."