The Government has backed the introduction of speed cameras on Bermuda’s roads in a bid to cut down on speeding.

Wayne Caines, the national security minister, said there was “a strong will” to use speed cameras to help cut the grim toll of death and injury on the roads.

Stephen Corbishley, the new Commissioner of Police, also threw his weight behind measures to slow traffic and said he supported the Government’s approach to tackling the problem of speed in Bermuda.

Mr Caines was speaking as Government’s Road Safety Plan 2018 — dubbed Operation Caution — was unveiled. Speed cameras were not mentioned in the plan, but Mr Caines said that a process had to be followed before the cameras could be installed. He said: “The plan has a phased and graduated approach and the first part of it is an education campaign. When we talk about speed cameras they are not something we can just bring into force.”

Mr Caines said discussions had been held with other ministries on speed cameras.

He added: “Now we need to make sure the legislative arm of it is right and this will take an act of Parliament — an amendment to the Road Traffic Act 1947.

“There is a strong will to do this but we need to make sure the legislation follows that which we wish to do in this space.”

Mr Corbishley said: “Speed alongside drink or drugs are significant contributors to crashes and serious and fatal injuries so from my position I fully support the Government in that regard and we will work closely with them to make sure that we are able to deliver their strategic intentions around that.”

The UK introduced roadside breath tests more than 50 years ago, while speed cameras were first installed in the London area in 1992 and have since spread all over the UK. The news came as Government prepared to introduce legislation to approve the use of roadside breath tests.

Walter Roban, the transport minister, said: “Roadside sobriety is here. Tomorrow that will begin the legislative process in helping us to begin to change behaviour on our roads. This whole campaign is about saving lives.”

Anthony Santucci, executive director of anti-alcohol abuse charity Cada, has campaigned for non-selective roadside sobriety testing for a decade — where vehicles are pulled over on a random basis and without specific grounds for suspicion.

Mr Santucci said: “We have been working a long time — we have been talking about it, advocating for it, explaining what non-selective is, had many partnerships over the years I’ve seen board members come and go.

“Premier Burt said he wants to have a Cabinet of action and if this comes to fruition and we end up with the application of this legislation before Cup Match it would be a job well done.”