Wednesday 10th April 2013

M25 speed cameras still not working

'Managed motorway' actually not managed at all and won't be for some time

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Last December there was a bit of a fuss when it transpired the digital speed cameras in the gantries on the speed-managed section of the M25 haven't in fact worked for years. The Telegraph, Mail and other mainstream media seized on the story and an update from ITV's Meridian news the other night has confirmed that there is still no camera enforcement on the M25 or M3.

Signs not necessarily telling the whole truth

Described as "a pioneering project" by the AA's Paul Watters, the idea of variable speed limits is one being rolled out across the motorway network. But it appears the M25 cameras have never actually worked and the system has, in Watters' view, "withered on the vine."

Of course, the reality is that congestion means that even drastically reduced temporary limits of 30 or 40mph are a distant dream for many on the daily grind, being reminded of that with brightly illuminated gantry signs little more than a sick joke for many. As the report warns, though, should you chance upon a clear M25 and feel tempted to put the theory to the test the Highways Agency is working on making the system operational as soon as possible.

See the Meridian report here.

[Sources: ITV Meridian, The Telegraph]

[JamesHayward]

That's interesting... I saw one flash on the westbound side just before Cobham Services as I was heading the opposite direction.

Next question - do the speed cameras in the Hindhead tunnel actually do anything?!

[carinaman]

'You don't know they're not working, you don't know they're not a terrorist, you don't know they're not a paedo, you don't know hackers aren't accessing your Christmas Card list on your home computer......

If you've done nothing wrong you've got nothing to fear from the climate of fear.

So basically these cameras are like a very expensive flashing red LED mounted in a switch blank on your dashboard? How much does it cost? £5? £10? £9.99 plus free P&P?

More taxpayers money well spent.

But a chap did die on the M25, hadn't he got out of a broken down Focus in an area of road works that was then hit by a truck. The truck may have been speeding.

[HedgehogFromHell]

More like £30,000 for a gantry cam.. One of them..

[Si_man306]

I've seen plenty on people doing 120mph+ through these cameras month after month coming back from university. They do work to regulate traffic when it's busy though- although there are always those cars who slam on the brakes 70-40mph with a queue of traffic behind them! Although sometimes tiresome, the average cameras are far better. Speeding through a camera, even if you've read on some website somewhere that it's off, is still a mugs game.

[carinaman]

JamesHayward said:

That's interesting... I saw one flash on the westbound side just before Cobham Services as I was heading the opposite direction.

Next question - do the speed cameras in the Hindhead tunnel actually do anything?!

Perhaps they tell us what to think about Margaret Thatcher as we drive past them?

[clarkey540i]

JamesHayward said:

That's interesting... I saw one flash on the westbound side just before Cobham Services as I was heading the opposite direction.

Next question - do the speed cameras in the Hindhead tunnel actually do anything?!

Possibly, I've not risked it yet. There's a handy lay-by at each end for getting your average speed down that I have mentioned before, but someone on here told me the cameras are aimed right at the mouth of the tunnel. I decided to have a closer look the next time I went through, but to me it looks like they are focussing on a point a good 200m from each entrance.

[richb77]

Its all a ruse.

Tell everyone they don't work then switch them on.

shrink the gap between borrowing and GDP in a couple of months.

Cynical aren't i

[Krikkit]

I always thought the gantry system's true purpose was to try and manage traffic flows at busy times?

[carinaman]

So have they released any statistics showing how these non-functioning cameras have reduced casuality and fatality figures on the M25?

[2blackhats]

I find it hard to believe they're not working. It'd be very unlike the gummint to pass up a chance to relieve us all of a bit more money. Personally I wouldn't chance it.

[carinaman]

I don't know, the Chartered Engineers at the HA can't even procure the correct signs and have 'feelings' about them. I can believe it.

Edited by carinaman on Wednesday 10th April 14:47

[Dreamspeed]

The story in it's self isn't so surprising, it's the comment from "AA's Paul Watters" who refers to the project to put enforcement cameras on ALL our motorways as "a pioneering project"

Apparently he doesn't know his history; the AA was founded in 1905 to help motorists AVOID police speed traps! Yes that's right, you would place the AA badge on your grill to show others members you were part of the "Automobile Association" and warn fellow members of speed traps. Now the AA is FOR speed traps?

That's like going to rehab and instead of them trying to stop your addiction, they are now Pro-drugs and get you high every night!......hmmm.. OK bad example, but you get what I mean.

You have to ask yourself; why would the AA do a full 180 on their original policy and is being a member of the AA a good thing?

[zebedee]

Krikkit said:

I always thought the gantry system's true purpose was to try and manage traffic flows at busy times?

Agreed, and if they are working and being managed properly, I think it is a brilliant idea. It is all the numpties piling towards 40mph traffic congestion and slamming their brakes on that causes a ripple effect which will then cause the motorway to come to a halt. If everyone is brought to a sensible speed and sticks to it, it is a lot faster, more relaxing and a lot more fuel efficient.

However, when the roads are clear and the deristricted sign is on, I still don't dare do more than the speed limit through them.

And it is very annoying going past the NEC on the M42 when there is NO traffic and they still say 60 or worse 40.

[msport]

Looks like it's not just the M25 with cameras that don't actually do anything anymore:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/we...

[killingjoker]

Went through some last year - April - at around 90mph. Road clear, perfectly reasonable speed for conditions. Not a thing. Raise the national limit.

[georgetuk]

carinaman said:

So have they released any statistics showing how these non-functioning cameras have reduced casuality and fatality figures on the M25?

Although your other post was paranoid...this is one is actually a good point.

[Jamesp24]

I take no notice of them,never been caught.

[schmokin1]

hmmm

100% sure i saw a double flash on a car heading south towards the M25/M20 junction a few months back, so something's working...

[Munich]

Article said:

...should you chance upon a clear M25 and feel tempted to put the theory...

even if they worked, aren't the cameras linked to the variable speed limits so if the motorway is clear the cameras shouldn't be switched on ...

[Geekman]

zebedee said:

Agreed, and if they are working and being managed properly, I think it is a brilliant idea. It is all the numpties piling towards 40mph traffic congestion and slamming their brakes on that causes a ripple effect which will then cause the motorway to come to a halt. If everyone is brought to a sensible speed and sticks to it, it is a lot faster, more relaxing and a lot more fuel efficient.

However, when the roads are clear and the deristricted sign is on, I still don't dare do more than the speed limit through them.

And it is very annoying going past the NEC on the M42 when there is NO traffic and they still say 60 or worse 40.

Average speed cameras are a brilliant idea in these situations - gantry Gatso cameras are utterly ridiculous. I commute on the m25 and see the effects of them first hand - you get people in the middle lanes sitting at 40, people in the oustide lanes doing 80 then slamming on the brakes when they see the cameras, then people who know they don't work weaving through traffic at 80-90. The average speed zone is the easiest part of the journey - you get the occasional idiot forcing their way through but in general everything flows smoothly. Why they installed gantry gatsos instead of specs I have no idea: the technology was there and it would have made the whole motorway flow far better. Apart from anything else, my radar detector tells me the gantrys which are active anyway, so even if the system was turned on I'd easily be able to avoid getting caught if I wanted.