Speed camera survey van torched

A speed camera survey van which was parked on a road in Co Louth was set alight in the early hours of this morning.

A lone operator was inside the van, which was parked at Milltown on the main Dundalk to Carrickmacross road shortly after 4.40am when a front window was broken and curtains and seats were set ablaze.

The van was parked at the side of the road when the attack happened and the occupant escaped without serious injury.

The van was owned by Go Safe, the private consortium which is contracted to run the mobile speed camera network in Ireland.

Operators say the survey van, which assesses the suitability of an area for a speed camera, is identical to a working speed camera van.

A car was seen leaving the area at speed immediately after the fire and investigating gardaí in Dundalk are examining CCTV footage from the area in a bid to identify the vehicle. It is thought there may have been two people in the car.

The van, which is worth about €70,000 including equipment, was destroyed by the fire.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy condemned this morning’s attack.

“It was an outrageous and reckless act which could have had grave and tragic consequences,” he said. “Go Safe van personnel are out on our roads day and night working with An Garda Síochána to reduce speed-related collisions and stop the needless loss of lives on our roads. It is important work directed at ensuring that fewer families and communities here have to endure the pain and suffering which follows collisions and deaths on our roads.”

Gardaí in Dundalk are appealing to the public for information.