A POLICE chief in Worcestershire has asked for an "urgent" meeting with the Mayor of Worcester to explain his controversial comments about a speed camera van.

Superintendent Kevin Purcell, who is the policing commander for south Worcestershire, has asked for talks with Councillor Alan Amos after he labelled a speed camera in Worcester's Tolladine Road "hostile".

Your Worcester News can also reveal how Supt Purcell also wants to meet Councillor John Smith, Worcestershire County Council's highways chief, after he said the Safer Roads Partnership "shouldn't be snooping behind closed doors".

During a full council meeting last week both politicians had a conversation about it, with Cllr Amos saying because a speed camera notice was placed so close to the van "it did not give motorists a safe time or distance in which to reduce their speed".

He also said he considered the vehicle "unmarked" because it was placed backwards, with the marks on the front of the van.

Cllr Smith, who is part of the Conservative cabinet, then said he would look into it and made his comment.

The exchanges led to a furious reaction from readers of our website, with some posters suggesting Cllr Amos should resign and others claiming he was effectively condoning speeding despite being the civic figurehead of the city.

Cllr Amos has since insisted all cars should stick to the 30mph limit in Tolladine Road and says he was only passing on concerns from his constituents.

Supt Purcell said: "I have asked for a meeting with Cllr Amos and Cllr Smith to discuss their understanding of the use of speed cameras.

"I am particularly supportive of speed cameras in places where there is a high risk of collisions, or for the safety of pedestrians.

“This road most certainly fully fits that criteria. I hope the public will realise that these cameras can only be activated if someone is speeding."

Supt Purcell's role takes in chief policing command duties for the entire south of the county including the key areas of Worcester, Malvern and Wychavon, putting him at a very senior level within West Mercia Police.

The intervention could prove embarrassing for the city's mayor, whose role as Worcester's civic boss runs until just after the May elections.

Cllr Amos says he only raised the speed van after a "very high level" of complaints from residents.

"I am only doing my job in taking up their concerns, I haven't expressed a view for or against the speed camera," he said.

"Of course drivers shouldn't ever speed but if people did, and they don't get enough notice to slow down, they'll brake suddenly and that causes accidents.

"The notice should be clearer.

"I wasn't calling the speed van hostile personally, I was simply passing on what people had told me."

For yesterday's story on Cllr Amos' question to Cllr Smith, see here.

The Safer Roads Partnership says 15 per cent of vehicles using Tolladine Road are travelling at least five-and-a-half miles over the 30mph limit, and it is those concerns that led to the van being introduced.

During the three years up to the end of 2013 there have been 12 collisions causing slight injury and three collisions causing serious injury there.

There are permanent speed camera signs either side of where the van has been parked.