MP Questions Effectiveness of Bath Road Cameras

An MP has clashed with West Berkshire Council over how effective new traffic cameras have been at tackling speeding on the A4 Bath Road in Calcot, near the Beansheaf estate crossing used by pupils heading to Calcot School.

The cameras were installed in December and enforcement began in January in a joint initiative by West Berkshire Council and Thames Valley Police.

Olivia Bailey, the Labour MP for Reading West & Mid Berkshire, has questioned whether they are working. In a video she said:

"I've been campaigning for a safer road crossing here on the Bath Road for the many pupils who are trying to cross the road to go to school.

"I wrote to West Berkshire Council to ask them to tell me what had happened since they put these new cameras in, but they told me the data wasn't available.

"So I've had to write to Thames Valley Police to ask them for that data, and what I've found is really shocking.

"Since these cameras were put in, there have been nearly 5,000 speeding offences and 31 red light offences, and so I don't quite know why West Berkshire Council told me that since these cameras have gone in there's been a reduction in offences.

"I've written to West Berkshire Council to ask these questions and share the significant concern of local people.

"It's time we get this dangerous crossing sorted out once and for all."

The video was highlighted by campaigner Chris Giles, who wants a 30mph limit along the whole length of Bath Road and extra safety measures after the death of pedestrian Stephen Allen near Lidl in November last year.

The council's spokesperson responded with a statement saying:

"The original request for red-light camera enforcement at this location arose from concerns and complaints received by the council from local residents about the number of vehicles failing to comply with the traffic signals.

"The council takes such concerns seriously and, when the opportunity became available, acted upon the information that had been gathered.

"It is important to note that red-light camera enforcement can only be introduced by police. When the police invited local authorities to identify suitable sites for consideration, the council was among the first to put forward this location based on the evidence and concerns that had already been raised.

"The cameras support police enforcement of both red-light and speeding offences at the junction. Surveys commissioned by the council in 2023 identified 35 vehicles passing through a red signal during a two-week monitoring period.

"Across a six-month period since enforcement began in January, police recorded 31 enforceable red-light offences (as of July 2026), indicating a significant reduction.

"The council used its speed compliance tool to compare speeds before and after the introduction of the camera at the A4 Bath Road Crossing in Calcot in early December 2025, which then became operational in January 2026. The 85th percentile speed data shows an immediate reduction following installation, as set out below:

Year Eastbound Westbound

2015 38 mph 43 mph

2021 37 mph 43 mph

2023 38 mph 44 mph

Dec 2025 36 mph 40 mph

"The speeding and red-light offence figures referenced by Olivia Bailey MP are derived from police enforcement data. As this is police data rather than council data, any requests for detailed enforcement statistics should be directed to Thames Valley Police.

"There are currently no plans to reduce the speed limit along the entire length of Bath Road between Junction 12 and the Reading boundary.

"The council will continue to monitor road safety at this location and work with police, schools and residents to identify any further improvements where appropriate."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter