IT IS good news that speed enforcement cameras are being installed on two major Hampshire rural roads.

The cameras will be set up on the A32 and A272 east of Winchester. The eight cameras will measure average speed all day and every day and so should have a major impact on slowing vehicles, especially motorbikes.

Donna Jones, the police and crime commissioner, has set aside £677,000 for the measure. Rather neatly the money comes from financial reserves comprising fines from speed cameras in other parts of the county.

For many years people living along both roads, including village such as Bramdean, Cheriton, Warnford, Exton, Droxford, Corhampton and West Meon have had their lives impacted by speeding bikers often with illegally adapted machines that make them louder.

Local people have long campaigned for action and it is excellent that the authorities have expressed more than sympathy but taken action. No sensible person has anything against motorcyclists enjoying the open roads but not when their noise pollution affects people's lives.

The second benefit is that the cameras will reduce not just speed but also incidents that all too often the deaths of riders.

It is also important that targeted police operations in marked and unmarked vehicles will continue, including the use of high-speed police motorbikes to catch offenders.