Traffic lights vandalised across Cambridgeshire
Police have released CCTV footage of a man they wish to speak to
Cambridgeshire Police have released the CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to following a string of vandalism incidents targeting traffic lights.
Since 4th May, around 50 sites have been affected, leading to damage to approximately 200 detector units.
The incident have happened across the county with the majority in Cambridge, including Cherry Hinton Road, Perne Road, Mill Road, Milton Road, and Coldham’s Lane, with some incidents reported in Fen Ditton and Horningsea.
Most recently, vandals targeted a crossing outside Park Primary School in Histon, which relies on sensors to ensure groups of children can cross safely.
Detector units are crucial for maintaining smooth traffic flow, as they enable traffic lights to adapt to real-time conditions by identifying vehicles and pedestrians at junctions.
When these devices are damaged, traffic lights switch to fixed-time settings, causing congestion, delays, and potential safety issues.
Cambridgeshire County Council say the traffic signal poles, are being deliberately vandalised through the cutting of their cables.
Each incident typically costs around £250 to repair. In some cases, the damage is more serious, with whole units needing to be replaced costing anywhere between £250 to £1500.
Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of the Highways and Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Vandalising these detectors is not only dangerous but stupid as it creates delays for all of us.
“Not only does it disrupt our journeys, but it’s also going to cost taxpayers money as we must pay for the repairs, which prevents us from spending that money on other essential highways maintenance work.
"We are working to repair the damage as quickly as possible, but I’d urge anyone with information or if they see anything suspicious to please let the police know.”
Anyone able to identify the man in the image or who has information should contact Cambridgeshire Police.