May 30 - #DougFord Protests in #Ontario

Just some issues:
Cuts to OSAP for further #education
Losening Environmental protections
Public #Healthcare underfunding in favour of the private sector
Protecting his governments' actions from The Freedom of Information Act
Ending of #RentControl, abandoning #tenants
#SpeedCamera removal, risking community & school zones.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King Jr.

https://protestdougford.com/

A484: Average speed cameras to be installed between Cadle and Loughor Bridge after years of fatal accidents

A new average speed camera system is set to be installed on the A484 between the Cadle roundabout and Loughor Bridge, as Swansea Council moves to tackle a road that has seen a number of fatal accidents in recent years.

Swansea Council’s cabinet has confirmed the cameras will be accompanied by improved road markings and signs along the route. The scheme forms part of the council’s 2026/27 transport investment programme, backed by Welsh Government regional transport fund money.

The A484 between Cadle and Loughor Bridge was built as a bypass in phases during the 1980s and 1990s, relieving the original route through Penllergaer, Gorseinon and Loughor of through traffic. The bypass nature of the road means it carries significant volumes of fast-moving traffic, and the junction at Victoria Road in Gowerton is a known congestion hotspot, particularly during peak hours.

Unlike fixed speed cameras — which only capture vehicles at a single point — average speed cameras measure a driver’s speed across the entire length of the monitored zone, making it much harder to slow down at a known camera location and accelerate again in between.

The decision to use average speed cameras rather than fixed cameras reflects the nature of the route, which has seen persistent speeding problems across its full length rather than at isolated spots. The road has been the scene of a number of fatal accidents in recent years, and the case for stronger enforcement has been building for some time.

A businessman based along the affected stretch welcomed the move, saying the road was badly in need of action. “It could do with it — it’s a very fast road. And it’s a lot faster at night-time. They race up and down there,” he told reporters covering last week’s cabinet meeting.

The route links Swansea’s western suburbs with Gowerton and Gorseinon, continuing to Loughor and on towards the Carmarthenshire boundary and Llanelli — making it a key commuter corridor for communities along Swansea’s western fringe.

Average speed camera systems have been widely deployed across Wales on roads where persistent speeding has been linked to serious collisions. They are generally credited with producing more sustained reductions in average speeds than fixed cameras, because drivers cannot predict exactly where enforcement is occurring along the monitored stretch.

The scheme forms part of a broader £6.7 million transport investment package for Swansea in 2026/27, which also includes a new mile-long riverside walking and cycling path along the River Tawe, flood alleviation work at Killay Square and on the Gower road at Llandewi, new EV charging infrastructure and a £750,000 e-bike hire scheme.

Swansea Council’s Head of Service for Transport and Highways, Stuart Davies, said the funding would enable the council to deliver “a wide range of transport related projects that will benefit motorists, public transport users as well as pedestrians and cyclists.”

Road safety education programmes will also continue to be funded as part of the same settlement, the council’s cabinet heard — including the Kerbcraft scheme for children learning to cross roads safely, cycle safety training and Bike Safe courses for motorcyclists.

The A484 camera scheme is expected to be delivered during the current financial year, though the council has not yet confirmed when the cameras will become operational.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Flood fix: Funding confirmed to finally tackle Killay Square and Gower road misery
Two of Swansea’s worst flood hotspots are part of the same transport investment package.

Barges needed to build new £8m riverside cycle path linking city centre to Swansea.com Stadium
The headline project from the same 2026/27 transport settlement.

#Colorado’s New #SpeedCamera System Makes #Waze Nearly Useless

https://www.motor1.com/news/792050/colorado-automated-speed-limit-cameras/

#ALPR #AVIS #privacy #surveillance #speeding

New footage shows moment vandal‑prone Swansea speed camera is painted over with a paintbrush on a stick

The footage captures a man in a white painter’s boiler suit with his hood up climbing a ladder to reach the camera on Llangyfelach Road in Treboeth. He uses a paintbrush attached to a pole to smear red paint across the main lens before climbing down to cover the lower lenses.

As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, the newly installed camera was found daubed in red paint just days after being installed. The device itself had only just been put back in place after its predecessor was cut down with an angle grinder in a brazen attack that shocked residents and raised questions about the vulnerability of road safety enforcement equipment.

South Wales Police told Swansea Bay News that the footage had not previously been reported to them, and confirmed they are now reviewing the incident. Officers are expected to issue a fuller statement once they have assessed the video evidence.

The attack has reignited debate about speed cameras in Swansea. Our earlier coverage of the grinder attack drew more than 360 comments, with the vast majority of readers expressing delight that the device had been damaged. Many criticised speed cameras as “money‑making machines” rather than casualty‑preventing tools, reflecting a deep hostility towards enforcement measures on local roads.

GoSafe, the Welsh Road Casualty Reduction Partnership responsible for speed enforcement, says cameras are placed at sites with a history of collisions or where speeding is a concern.

A spokesperson explained:

“Our cameras are there to encourage people to drive within the speed limits and keep everyone using our roads safe. The most successful cameras are the ones that see the least number of offences, not the most.”

GoSafe stresses that enforcement sites are chosen using Welsh Government guidance, and that cameras are intended to reduce casualties, not generate income.

#gosafe #llangyfelachRoad #motoring #roadSafety #southWalesPolice #speedCamera #speeding #swansea #treboeth #vandalisedSpeedCamera

Second strike: Swansea speed camera targeted with red paint days after angle‑grinder attack replacement

Camera targeted twice in 18 months

The average speed camera outside the Kings Head pub on Llangyfelach Road was first destroyed in May 2024, when it was hacked down with an angle grinder. Video footage of the incident went viral, prompting South Wales Police to launch an appeal and offer a £1,000 reward for information.

After standing dormant for more than a year, a replacement camera was erected on 20 October 2025. But within days the new device was attacked — this time sprayed with red paint, apparently fired from a paint gun, leaving its lenses obscured.

A controversial history

The cameras themselves have long been controversial. Installed in June 2018 as part of a £455,000 road safety initiative, they remained switched off for five years due to technical issues, only becoming operational in June 2023.

The stretch of Llangyfelach Road was reduced from 30mph to 20mph under the Welsh Government’s default 20mph speed limit introduced in September 2023. That policy sparked a record‑breaking petition against its implementation. While Swansea Council later identified 17 roads to revert back to 30mph, Llangyfelach Road was not among them — a decision that has fuelled frustration among motorists.

Enforcement hotspot

The road has also become one of South Wales’ busiest enforcement sites. In August 2025, Llangyfelach Road ranked 6th in the region’s top 20 speeding hotspots, with 3,295 Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) and 1,116 fixed penalties issued.

GoSafe, the Wales road casualty reduction partnership, says cameras are placed in areas with high collision rates or community concerns about speeding. Four fixed 20mph cameras are being activated across Wales this month as part of wider enforcement measures.

Police investigation

South Wales Police previously confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in connection with the 2024 incident, but no further action was taken due to lack of evidence.

The force has yet to issue a statement on the latest vandalism, but enquiries are understood to be ongoing.

Community reaction

Local Facebook groups have been filled with debate since the latest attack, with some residents criticising the 20mph limit and others warning that vandalising cameras undermines road safety efforts.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Video of speed camera cut down goes viral
Footage showed the original Llangyfelach Road camera being removed with an angle grinder in May 2024.

Police re‑issue appeal after camera cut down
South Wales Police offered a £1,000 reward for information following the incident.

Speed cameras switched on five years late
Cameras installed in 2018 as part of a £455k scheme were only activated in June 2023.

17 Swansea roads revert to 30mph
Council confirmed which roads would return to 30mph after the Welsh Government’s 20mph rollout.

Thousands caught speeding on Swansea roads
Llangyfelach Road ranked 6th in South Wales for speeding offences in August 2025.

#20mph #criminalDamage #featured #fixedPenaltyNotice #gosafe #llangyfelachRoad #noticesOfIntendedProsecution #speedCamera #speeding #swansea #treboeth #vandalisedSpeedCamera #vandalism

What would you rather do?

#onpoli #speedcamera

Given the bike lanes precedent, shouldn't be too hard to challenge this on constitutional safety and security of the person grounds.

There is so much data out there that speed enforcement cameras work to reduce speeds and make the roads safer for vulnerable road users.

Particularly galling is the fact that SEC's are only allowed in school zones in #Ontario, so the victims of this announcement are literally children.

But, children don't vote or 'donate' to #DougFord, so who cares about them!

Finally, SEC's (in Canada) are NOT a "cash grab". There are precisely ZERO municipalities that rely on speeding fines for their general revenue. This constrasts with the #US where many municipalities use speeding fines as a major source of revenue.

https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/doug-ford-expected-to-announce-a-ban-on-speed-cameras-today/article_70534b0c-ea8b-4817-9353-d9a9399a8216.html

#ONPoli #RoadSafety #BikeLane #SpeedCamera #Urbanism #TOPoli #TOCouncil

Thousands caught speeding on Swansea and Port Talbot roads — including one driver at 111mph in a 50 zone

More than 96,000 drivers were issued Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) for speeding in South Wales over the past year — and several of the worst-affected roads are in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Among the most striking figures was a driver clocked at 111mph on the M4 at Junction 41 Pentyla–Seaway Parade Bridge westbound, where the speed limit is just 50mph. The offence, recorded in January 2025, was one of the five worst speeding incidents in the region.

Gors Avenue among South Wales’ top speeding hotspots

In Swansea, Gors Avenue junction Dewi Terrace in Townhill saw 4,340 speeding offences recorded in 2024/25 — placing it third on the list of South Wales’ worst roads for speeding.

The stretch is home to a fixed speed camera and has been the subject of local campaigns to raise the limit back to 30mph. While part of Gors Avenue (between Townhill Road and Carmarthen Road) has since reverted to 30mph, the section where these offences were recorded remains at 20mph.

Other Swansea locations in the top 20 include:

• B4295 Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd – 3,702 NIPs
• Llangyfelach Road (junction Parkhill Road) – 3,295 NIPs
• Mumbles Road, Blackpill (westbound) – 1,174 NIPs

Each of these locations is monitored by fixed speed cameras. Llangyfelach Road, in particular, has seen controversy — with campaigners calling for the 20mph limit to be raised and a previous incident where the speed camera was cut down by vigilantes using an angle grinder. Police later offered a £1,000 reward for information about the attack.

VIDEO: Vigilantes cutting down the Llangyfelach Road speed camera

Top 20 roads for speeding offences in South Wales

M4 Port Talbot also among worst for speeding

The M4 westbound at Port Talbot recorded 1,526 speeding offences last year, placing it in the top 20. The stretch is monitored by a fixed camera and has long been a focus for enforcement due to high traffic volumes and safety concerns.

The data, compiled by Legal Expert using South Wales Police figures, shows a 57% increase in speeding notices compared to the previous year. In 2023/24, the force issued 61,390 NIPs. That figure rose to 96,368 in 2024/25 — equating to over £9.6 million in potential fines.

The worst speeding offence overall was 121mph on the A48 at Stormy Down, Bridgend — more than double the 50mph limit.

Worst recorded speeds in South Wales

#20mph #30mph #Blackpill #GorsAvenue #Junction41 #LlangyfelachRoad #M4 #Mumbles #MumblesRoad #NeathPortTalbot #NIP #NoticeOfIntendedProsecution #PortTalbot #SpeedCamera #speeding #speedingOffences #Swansea #SwanseaRoad #Townhill #Waunarlwydd

Fatal collision in Llanelli sparks calls for safety measures on Station Road

A male pedestrian was fatally injured after being struck by a motorcycle near the Home Bargains store on Station Road, Llanelli, at approximately 9.55pm on Friday 1 August.

Emergency services, including Ambulance and Air Ambulance teams, attended the scene and provided first aid, but the man sadly died at the scene.

Dyfed Powys Police confirmed that a 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving and other related offences. He remains in custody. Officers are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.

The road was closed overnight and reopened on Saturday 2 August. The victim’s family has been informed and is receiving support from specialist officers.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dash cam or Ring Doorbell footage to come forward.

Petition launched to demand safety upgrades on Station Road

In response to the fatal collision, a new petition has been launched urging Carmarthenshire Council to install traffic calming measures on Station Road.

The petition, titled “Install Safety Measures on Station Road, Llanelli”, highlights the dangers posed by speeding vehicles in a busy pedestrian area lined with shops, takeaways, and hairdressers.

“Too many people are ending up losing their lives or ending up seriously injured due to motorists being able to drive at dangerously high speeds,” the petition states.

Campaigners are calling for the installation of speed bumps, speed cameras, and frequent pedestrian crossings to reduce accidents and protect residents.

Citing national data, the petition notes that such measures can reduce accidents by up to 50%. It urges local authorities to act swiftly to prevent further tragedies.

The petition was created on 2 August and is gathering signatures from residents and visitors concerned about road safety in Llanelli.

#DyfedPowysPolice #fatalAccident #Llanelli #pedestrianCrossing #petition #RoadTrafficAccident #speedBumps #SpeedCamera #StationRoad #trafficCalming