NEW speed limits have been introduced on the A361 at Frome and at the junction with the A362.

The A361 is now 50 mph with the A362 reduced to 40 mph on the approach to the junction, with improvements to the road surface and central hatching added along the bypass.

The safety updates follow a joint initiative between Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council last autumn with the installation of AI cameras, capable of detecting unsafe driving, on the bypass.

The cameras logged 4,500 offences in the first four months of operation, including 4,407 incidents of no seat belt being worn, 74 speeding offences over 80 mph and 119 instances of mobile phone use.

Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste services, Cllr Richard Wilkins, said: “I am pleased to see these safety improvements now in place, reinforcing our commitment to improve safety along this stretch of road. We are continuing to develop plans for further phases of future schemes.

“We share the concerns of the community about the number of incidents on this stretch of road. Driver behaviour contributes to around 90 percent of serious road collisions so we would urge all drivers, if you are getting behind the wheel of a car please act responsibly.”