MP Demands Answers on Speeding at Schools

Reading West and Mid Berkshire MP Olivia Bailey has demanded West Berkshire Council explains its claims about enforcement cameras at the Bath Road crossing near Calcot Schools after a Freedom of Information request revealed almost 5,000 speeding offences since they went live.

Thames Valley Police data obtained by the MP shows that since the cameras became operational in January 2026 there were 31 red-light offences and 4,965 speeding offences recorded at the crossing.

Council leader Jeff Brooks says his highways team found a significant reduction in motorists failing to stop, citing 31 incidents in six months after the cameras were introduced compared with 35 recorded in a surveyed two-week period before installation. He also says speed-tool checks showed an immediate drop in average speeds after the camera was put in place in early December 2025, and that the council's campaigning helped persuade the police to install the cameras. Brooks added the council and Thames Valley Police are awaiting further data to review the impact on speed and safety.

Bailey said road safety around Calcot Schools is a priority for local families and that the figures back up residents' concerns that too many drivers are still speeding and running red lights. She is calling on the council to explain what further action it will take to make the crossing safer for the significant number of schoolchildren and families who use it every day.

Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter