MOTORISTS are still waiting to find out when a number of speed cameras will be turned back on in Somerset.

The plug was pulled on fixed cameras in 2011 after the Government ended its funding commitment to the Safety Camera Partnership.

Six cameras have since been bought from Somerset County Council by Avon and Somerset Police for £1 each last February.

Among the six waiting to be brought back into action are those at Henlade, East Reach and Othery, but no date has been announced for the big switchon.

It is expected that the cameras will cost around £35,000 to turn back on, but their maintenance and enforcement will be funded by revenue raised by the units.

Ch Con Nick Gargan struck a deal with the county council which agreed that the police will take responsibility and ownership of the cameras, and operate them on the highway network “on the proviso that no costs whatsoever are incurred by the county council.”

Earlier this year, Supt Ian Smith said: “There’s more than £2million worth of camera infrastructure currently lying dormant on the roadsides in the force area.

“We believe the static cameras can be operated in a cost-neutral way and re-activating them for use alongside our mobile camera vans will help in making our roads safer.”