Thursday 13th September 2012
The speed camera is back with a vengeance
50% more to arrive in the next year - and no time wasted sending the film off to Boots
The death of the speed camera has been greatly exaggerated. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, they’re set to make a comeback – and, thanks to digital technology, they'll be more efficient than ever before.
Apparently, 21 of the 33 safety partnerships who responded to the newspaper’s questions are now installing new digital speed cameras.
Unlike current film GATSOs and other brands, they can effectively take pictures indefinitely as they can’t run out of film. Because images of speeding motorists are sent straight to a control centre, they are also much cheaper to run.
The Telegraph is predicting the number of speed cameras will increase by almost half in the next 12 months alone, and reveals that four safety partnerships (Cheshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, Northants and Nottinghamshire) have already admitted they expect the number of prosecutions to increase.
The coalition Government, which promised to end the ‘war on motorists’ by stopping central funding for speed cameras, is distancing itself from the predicted rise in cameras. “It is for local authorities and police to decide whether or not to use speed cameras and how they wish to operate them,” Transport Minister Stephen Hammond told the paper.
“However, we do not believe that cameras should be used as the default solution in reducing accidents, nor as a way of raising revenue.”
While the Government currently receives cash from speeding fines – the minimum is set to rise from £60 to £90, incidentally – the money from speed awareness courses (averaging between £70 and £97) is kept by safety partnerships and police forces. SACs are offered to drivers who have broken the speed limit but not gone more than 10 percent plus 9mph over the stated limit. In return, they don't get three points added to their licence.
It seems this SAC bounty is set to herald a new era of ‘digital GATSO’ – funded, ironically, by the very motorists they are set to catch with greater efficiency than ever…
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andyps
Original Poster
4,671 posts
151 months
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We had better hope that the first of the cameras don't provide a financial return. Careful use of speed is required by everyone.
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CDP
4,551 posts
123 months
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Looks like the news headlines today revolve around "Never trust a..."
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Dr G
9,241 posts
111 months
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LewisR
489 posts
84 months
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...another reason to move to Germany !!
(Yes, I know they have speed limits and speed cameras there. They just seem to be more reasonable about it !)
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getawayturtle
3,166 posts
43 months
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Someone bring me a jerry can of petrol while I rummage around for some old tyres..
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WCZ
1,457 posts
63 months
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50% more or 50% of existing cameras to be upgraded?
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VR6 Turbo
1,357 posts
23 months
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just another reasons why I am giving up on car's, and driving altogether. between this fuel duty and the bum raping the insures give me, I will be getting my self a cheapy auto barge to abide the speed limit in.
VR
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mrloudly
2,163 posts
104 months
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And where is all the funding being found from??? I've just waited 2 1/2 hours for an ambulance, I'm told caused through cutbacks, disgraceful the cash can be found for these b.stard things not ambulances!!!
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Skylinecrazy
12,624 posts
63 months
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This probably won't even happen..
I wish piston heads would stop reporting on stuff that just makes everyone panic.
It would be impossible to errect cameras on some of the best driving roads in Wales, because they'd be near enough on the road. Most of them will be put on straight A roads, where there's no fun in going fast anyway.
Plenty of cheap motorsports out there if people want to drive fast, and plenty of interesting cars which you can have fun in without doing 94 MPH everywhere too.
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mat205125
14,766 posts
82 months
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Skylinecrazy said: This probably won't even happen..
I wish piston heads would stop reporting on stuff that just makes everyone panic.
It would be impossible to errect cameras on some of the best driving roads in Wales, because they'd be near enough on the road. Most of them will be put on straight A roads, where there's no fun in going fast anyway.
Plenty of cheap motorsports out there if people want to drive fast, and plenty of interesting cars which you can have fun in without doing 94 MPH everywhere too. ^ This ! 
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monthefish
15,709 posts
100 months
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Skylinecrazy said: This probably won't even happen.. Why wouldn't they? They've been shown to be solid revenue generators, and the 'safety' figures can easily be manipulated to get the backing of the ignorant public.
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HughesR1
281 posts
43 months
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All I see here is another good reason to buy a GT86... 
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lazygraduand
1,507 posts
30 months
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VR6 Turbo said: just another reasons why I am giving up on car's, and driving altogether. between this fuel duty and the bum raping the insures give me, I will be getting my self a cheapy auto barge to abide the speed limit in.
VR A bit over the top, shirley? It's not like you can't predict exactly where they're going to be with any modern £50 satnav and some common sense and observation! They're painted bright yellow just to help you do so!
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JimGTxx
265 posts
72 months
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robinessex
725 posts
50 months
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Oh dear, GPS camera location going into the car. Along with a .5" sniper rifle!!!
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Skylinecrazy
12,624 posts
63 months
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lazygraduand said: VR6 Turbo said: just another reasons why I am giving up on car's, and driving altogether. between this fuel duty and the bum raping the insures give me, I will be getting my self a cheapy auto barge to abide the speed limit in.
VR A bit over the top, shirley? It's not like you can't predict exactly where they're going to be with any modern £50 satnav and some common sense and observation! They're painted bright yellow just to help you do so! Exactly, his reaction is just pathetic to be honest. There's plenty of ways to get around it, and still have fun in the process.
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havoc
20,148 posts
104 months
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Skylinecrazy said: Most of them will be put on straight A roads, where they'll catch people trying to overtake a 40mph-restricted truck in a safe place miles from any 'black spot'. EFA
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dapprman
391 posts
136 months
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There's a lot going up at the bottom of the M1. About every 1 in 2 gantry between the M25 junction and Luton contains a speed camera and it looks like it will the same from that point on up to Milton Keynes - oh and much of the present roadworks there that have been going on for many years, is just putting up more gantries ....
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masermartin
1,044 posts
46 months
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getawayturtle said: Someone bring me a jerry can of petrol while I rummage around for some old tyres.. In this digital age I'm sure we can come up with something more cunning and cheap. They'd need to use mobile data services, as they're not all wired into the phone network. Surely: 1. Hack into camera 2. Replace all the pictures with Cat memes. 3. ??? 4. Profit
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Frimley111R
4,204 posts
103 months
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WCZ said: 50% more or 50% of existing cameras to be upgraded? Almost definately the latter but the former makes for a much more eye catching headline!
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