New motorway gantry camera, possibly speed? M1 - J13 to J12

[ridds]

Spotted this the other week travelling southbound on the M1.

Google maps is out of date for the road currently but the location is here:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=luton&hl=en&a...

It's on the verge side of the gantry attached to the side. It's a pretty huge thing 2 to 3 times the size of a SPECS camera and when driving past on the Northbound carriageway I could see it had Infrared lights built into the main body.

Does anyone know anything about these? Are they speed cameras, are they on trial?

If anyone passes the gantry in this area and is stuck in a traffic jam try and grab a picture!

[shep1001]

Is it not for the hard shoulder running scheme in that area?

[ridds]

Yes, I don't believe it's for that though as it is the only one. No other gantries are sporting this camera. It seems to point across all lanes of traffic.

[shep1001]

ridds said:

Yes, I don't believe it's for that though as it is the only one. No other gantries are sporting this camera. It seems to point across all lanes of traffic.

Thought so, I travel that route most days, I guess is does monitor speed but only to tell the system when to allow hard shoulder running. Seen a few of the HADECS cameras flashing away though

[CoolHands]

it's probably the NSA keeping an eye on you

[mybrainhurts]

The camera in question faces south, on the southbound side, fixed to the left hand vertical support for the gantry in the variable speed limit section.

I've noticed it many times. This afternoon, travelling north, I noticed another camera alongside it that looked like an ANPR unit. However, one of the cameras was flashing a white flash every few seconds.

The variable speed limit was not active at the time.

Anybody know what the camera is? Can't think of anything other than speed enforcement.

[ridds]

It's odd isn't it. The camera is massive.

[streaky]

Is it a camera? Could it be an air-sampling device? They're all the range near motorways. There seems to be a move to reduce speed limits on motorways because of pollution than because of KSIs.

A photograph of the device might be helpful.

Streaky

[mybrainhurts]

streaky said:

Is it a camera?

You seem to have misread my post. It was flashing faster than Jimmy Savile in an orphanage.

[mybrainhurts]

streaky said:

A photograph of the device might be helpful.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/baillieu-government-set-to-switch-on-32-new-speed-cameras/story-e6frf7kx-1225974699515

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/baillieu...

Can't find a picture online, but this is a rough idea of its shape, mounted on the left hand gantry upright, looking at the rear of passing traffic.

[windy1]

This wretched thing temporarily blinds me pretty much every day I head northbound to work on the M1. It is so annoying. It goes off even when there are no active variable limits going southbound. I have been checking in my mirrors at the variable gantry above when I go past it and there is almost always no limit displayed.
Almost no-one speeds on this section of the M1 these these days, nearly eveyone is sitting at 75 mph max. Don't know why it is going off, no reason to, duff camera I'd say, whatever it is.

[mybrainhurts]

streaky said:

A photograph of the device might be helpful.

Here you go. Any answers?

The one mounted on the left of the vertical gantry support.

[windy1]

Anyone care to do a FOI request to find out what this device is? HATOs wouldn't tell me what it was for but mysteriously when I reported that it was flashing regularly for no apparent reason it then stopped flashing some days later. I have not seen it flash from the other carriageway since.

[shep1001]

windy1 said:

Anyone care to do a FOI request to find out what this device is? HATOs wouldn't tell me what it was for but mysteriously when I reported that it was flashing regularly for no apparent reason it then stopped flashing some days later. I have not seen it flash from the other carriageway since.

No Need. Its a HADECS 3 camera same as the one down on Junction 8 (S/B) on the M1 and the newly finished sections of the M25. Watched the J12 camera lighting up like a christmas tree the other morning!. No need for road markings as a secondary check, covers all lanes too!

Edited by shep1001 on Wednesday 26th March 22:59

[ridds]

So now there's now a picture of one to go with the PH article.

4th Feb

Shame the PH piece didn't include a picture.

[CharlieBangBang]

So HADECS 1, 2 and 2.5 sit behind a sign where you can't see them.

HADECS 3 sits in plain view at the side of the road where you can see them and which one is labeled 'stealth'?

You are right of course; the one that you can see.

[R32]

CharlieBangBang said:

So HADECS 1, 2 and 2.5 sit behind a sign where you can't see them.

HADECS 3 sits in plain view at the side of the road where you can see them and which one is labeled 'stealth'?

You are right of course; the one that you can see.

You can't see the ones on the gantrys? I find them easy to see well in advance... they aren't behind the sign, they are level with the gaps in the support structure so you can see where there is one and where there isn't.

Just got to remember to look to the left of the gantry now as well!

[windy1]

I couldn't see this camera on my way home tonight. Has it been taken down? Where has it been moved to?

[shep1001]

windy1 said:

I couldn't see this camera on my way home tonight. Has it been taken down? Where has it been moved to?

It was there this morning!

[windy1]

I must be blind, or maybe I was dreaming, cruise set to 70 & nodding off then - more likely!!!!