SPEED restriction cameras along the M5 in Gloucestershire are proving something of a cash cow for the county.

Around £270,000 has been generated from fines from speeding motorists through the roadworks, but the money is being redistributed among parishes and towns who apply for funding road safety measures.

Average speed cameras through motorway roadworks are a health and safety requirement. Although they are installed by contractors, only the police can enforce them. It’s a service for which they charge and so far, the system known as SPECS - speed limit enforcement camera system - has generated over quarter of a million pounds.

In one of his first moves since being re-elected, Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl has confirmed the money will go into a ‘Problem Solving Hub’ to fund applications from towns, parishes and other groups and organisations who have ideas to make the roads in their neighbourhood safer.

Around 50 town and parish councils have so far expressed an interest. They will now be asked to make a formal application setting out their plans in more detail.

Mr Surl said: “I get more correspondence around road safety than anything else and it regularly cropped up when I talked to people during the election campaign.

“Safe and social driving remains one of my priorities. The SPECS money is a windfall I can use to invest in systems and partnerships that will enable us to tackle issues like speeding and hopefully come up with some new ideas to make our roads safer.

“Every parish and town council in the county was invited to bid when the idea was launched and there’s been a good response. My commissioning team will now be in touch with those who have come forward so I hope we can really get moving on this.”

One earlier initiative, an automatic number plate recognition system - installed on the A46 near Stroud by Rodborough Parish Council and underwritten by the Commissioner’s Fund with a contribution from the parish council - captured 25,000 speeding motorists in just one week.