NEW GATSO – is this one allowed?

[S a m]

This gatso has recently been installed on the B1018 as you drive into Witham (Essex) coming from the Braintree direction, close to Templars School.

Its located right in front of a junction, and a fair way away from where the school is. If its there to slow people down, anyone who was intending to speed would easily be back up to speed again by the time they got to the school gates.

History wise, from what I know there’s been loads of campaigns for another crossing nearer to the school – which id say seams like a good idea. There’s currently “lolly pop lady” who is there during pre/post school hours. The council has refused to install a crossing.

For now, the box looks empty, and there are no lines on the road yet – but I’m sure it will go live soon.

Is this yet another example of our token gesture, self funded road safety initiative?




View looking towards the school, from opposite side of the road. The school is about where the van is (on left), in the distance down the road.

[ledfoot]

S a m said:

If its there to slow people down, anyone who was intending to speed would easily be back up to speed again by the time they got to the school gates. [/pic]

From my own experience of driving past a local school, there is no point in placing a speed camera nearby, as all the parked cars on both sides of the road will prevent anyone doing more than 20mph anyway.

[BliarOut]

At least everyone will be checking their speedo now on the approach to a junction

[streaky]

And people waiting to turn out from the junction will see the front of the approaching car dip under braking and might well pull out in front of it - Streaky

[deva link]

I guess the thinking (or hope) is that the camera will slow people down and they won't immediately accelerate again. Also, if it was right outside the school then some motorists would complain about not being able to watch out for children as they were staring at their speedo's.

Ignoring the school, that looks like the kind of road where 30MPH is probably the maximum safe speed anyway - there's junctions / parked cars / housing / drives / crossings / bus stops etc - it's a pretty busy scene - but I'll bet people see a long straight road and drive much faster. It's the kind of road where I'd tap my cruise on at 30, but then (typically) would have to hold off another car half an inch from my bumper, who'd probably overtake at some ludicrous point.

>> Edited by deva link on Saturday 30th April 15:06

[Deadly Dog]

It looks as if this speed camera may be breaching the conditions of Home Office Type Approval (HOTA). A Gatso is supposed to be placed on a straight road of at least 400m length which is free from potential sources of interference that could distort the radar reading e.g. bridges, metal fences, traffic emerging from side roads etc. There are also no secondary road markings painted on the road. These are required to verify the radar speed reading.

If this camera has been installed in a manner which contravenes HOTA then any evidence generated by it will inadmissible in a Court of Law (see Paragraph 4, Section 23 of the 1991 RTA).


>> Edited by Deadly Dog on Saturday 30th April 22:45