An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera installed to tackle speeding concerns on a busy road in Swindon has been destroyed after being shot with an air rifle.
Swindon Borough Council confirmed that one of its new cameras on Akers Way was recently targeted, leaving the equipment damaged beyond repair.
The vandalism will now cost taxpayers thousands of pounds, with the local authority forced to replace the camera.
The equipment was installed following concerns raised by residents about speeding and traffic in the area.
It was intended to deter speeding and collect information about driving patterns, helping the council determine whether additional traffic management measures are needed.
Councillor Nick Gardiner, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I am appalled and deeply disappointed by this reckless, selfish and utterly stupid act of vandalism.
“Shooting at a camera installed to help improve road safety shows a complete disregard for the community and for the public money used to provide it.
“The camera on Akers Way was installed because residents raised concerns about traffic and speeding.
“Its purpose is to help us understand how the road is being used and identify what measures may be needed to make it safer. Whoever is responsible has set that work back and let down the residents who asked us to act.
“Their stupidity will now cost taxpayers thousands of pounds. That is money which could otherwise have supported services and improvements for residents.
“Instead, it must be spent replacing equipment that should still be doing its job. This is a completely unnecessary and unacceptable waste of public money.
“Residents have every right to be angry. They should not have to see work to address their concerns disrupted or be left footing the bill for somebody else’s senseless behaviour.
“We are working to replace the camera as quickly as possible. This vandalism will not deter us from listening to residents, tackling concerns about speeding and working to make our roads safer.”
The council is now working to source a replacement camera so it can resume monitoring traffic on Akers Way.
It remains unclear when the vandalism took place or whether anyone has been identified as responsible.
