We’re FURIOUS after cops installed 20-mile speed camera ‘cash cow’ down hill… it’s already caught 1,000 drivers in one day

ANGRY drivers have slammed a region’s first 20-mile speed camera as a ‘money cow’ on a ‘rat ride’ – after OVER 1,000 were caught on day one.

The speed camera was launched on Old Laira Road in Plymouth for the first time this week and is the slowest speed detector across the Devon and Cornwall police area at 20mph.

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Ahead of its launch this week, the camera had an eight-week trial that captured a whopping 23,500 road users — including over 1,000 on day one.

Although these drivers evaded prosecution during the test period, the 140 people photographed on the camera’s first official day were not so lucky.

Carl White, a cafe owner whose restaurant is near Old Laira Road, told The Sun Online: “It’s an absolute nightmare, the limit is dangerously slow.”

And he added it’s “absolutely” a cash cow – adding, “I think they’re doing everything they can to rob people.”

With Old Laira Road going downhill, some feel it may be more dangerous now than it was before.

A local delivery driver added: “You can see people looking at their dashboards rather than the road, it’s a bit silly.”

“People are struggling to stay at 20 mph.”

Another driver described it as “very difficult to stay within this speed limit for this distance”.

They added, “People are looking at their speedometers all the time and not really concentrating on the road.”

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The Old Laira Road has a reputation as a ‘rat run’, used to bypass Plymouth’s busy main thoroughfares.

And while some have dubbed the camera a “cash cow,” the new speedometer has also been a hit with many who live near the road and believe it will save lives.

Barry Nelms, who lives on site, said: “Any of you who live on any of the streets between Old Laira Road and the dam can’t help but hear, or possibly see, the cars and motorbikes that come with well over.” the dam roaring speeds along the dam roar maximum speed allowed.”

And local resident Al Stewart, who lives next door to the detector, said: “We all love it”.

He explained: “The main thing is the noise, everyone on the street loves how much quieter it is.”

Local resident Sandra Warner agreed, feeling that the road is now “much quieter, a smoother pace and less noise because people come off the embankment and use that as a rat run”.

One of the camera’s most popular advantages is that it’s close to the nearby school, which many local residents hope is much safer now.

A local said: “It’s much better, especially with motorbikes, and it’s much safer when people pass by the school.”

“There’s a school down the street and the kids need to be safe crossing the street,” said another woman who lives nearby.

“I think it’s a good idea.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said 48 people were killed on the force’s roads last year and 793 were seriously injured.

Speed ​​is one of the main factors in car accidents and in a devastating week that saw 7 people die on the roads in Devon and Cornwall, the new Old Laira Road camera is attracting additional attention.

“We don’t want to capture 23,500 people – we don’t want to capture anybody. We want people to obey the speed limit,” said Supt Adrian Leisk, Traffic Officer at Devon and Cornwall Police.

The camera was also supported by Devon and Cornwall Police Commissioner Alison Hernandes, who said: “Until the road deaths stop I will not apologize for supporting speed cameras”.

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