New cameras could detect dangerous near misses on Northampton roads under council plans
Cameras capable of identifying dangerous near misses between road users could be used to improve safety on Northampton's roads under new council proposals.
West Northamptonshire Council is planning to trial technology that can detect potentially dangerous interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and other road users before collisions occur.
The proposals feature in the authority's draft Road Safety Strategy, which outlines measures aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries across the area up to 2045.
According to the document, cameras already installed to monitor walking and cycling levels have the capability to identify near misses.
The council intends to trial this technology and investigate whether the information collected could help identify dangerous locations and prevent future accidents.
It says the system could prove particularly useful at transport interchanges and other locations where different types of road users frequently interact.
If successful, similar technology could potentially be deployed elsewhere, particularly in areas with high pedestrian and cyclist activity.
The council believes the approach could help identify safety problems that traditional collision statistics might otherwise miss.
Its strategy acknowledges that near misses and unreported incidents are not fully reflected in existing road safety data.
The proposals come as figures reveal that 134 people were killed or seriously injured on local roads in West Northamptonshire during 2025.
Councillor Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Too many people are still being killed or seriously injured on our roads. We want to do everything we can to prevent that from happening.”
The council's wider strategy also includes reviewing speed limits, improving pedestrian safety and targeting dangerous locations through evidence-led interventions.
Councillor Butler added: “This strategy sets out our ideas for making roads safer, but we want to hear what people think.”
Residents are being invited to comment on the proposals before the consultation closes on December 6, 2026.
A virtual drop-in session will take place on November 23, between 10am and 11.30am, allowing people to question council officers.
Feedback will inform the final strategy, which is expected to be considered by the council's cabinet in spring 2027.
No specific locations for the camera trial have yet been identified in the draft strategy.