CONTROVERSIAL speed cameras which recently went live at a busy Newport junction have racked up more than 6,000 fines in less than two months, the police have revealed.

The cameras are located on the Southern Distributor Road (SDR) in the south of the city at the junction with Usk Way.

The junction is well-known in the area as an accident blackspot after a series of high-profile crashes.

At least 52 incidents have occurred since 2007 that the Argus is aware of, and this number is likely to be higher.

Back in 2020, budding mechanic Joshua Fletcher, from Newport, was crossing the city’s Southern Distributor Road when he was hit by a car.

The 16-year-old had been on his way to college at the time, and was cycling across the road near the Blaina Wharf pub, at the southern end of Usk Way.

He died from his injuries.

His death prompted a petition to lower the speed limit on the SDR.

Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the Argus, Gwent Police have revealed that, since being activated on June 26, there had already been thousands of fines issued.

In response to the FOI request, Gwent Police said: "Since the June 26, 2023, the number of Notice of Intended Prosecutions sent as a result of camera activations on the A48 SDR WB Jct with Usk Way is 6,778.

"Any motorist caught speeding by a camera will be reported to the central ticket office in Treforest who will process the fine for payment."

Since the cameras began issuing fines, there has been public outcry on social media.

This has resulted in the publishing of a petition to have the fines scrapped.

The petition cites "constant limit changes within a few miles" and "the limits changing incessantly with little to no reasoning at all" as a reason for so many people having been caught.

A Newport private investigator was among those caught out - slamming the fine he received as "taking the p*ss".

The petition can be viewed at change.org/p/cease-fines-and-penalty-points-on-the-sdr-in-newport