M4/M5 average speed cameras
Discussion
Can anyone please confirm if the rest of the M4 through England to the M25 has any average speed cameras currently working?
I have checked all the obvious web sites and no one seems to know.
Thanks...
I now always set the cruise control at 70mph through the variable speed limits or at whatever speed the overhead signs say.
I did hear that 1000+ motorists per month now get speeding tickets through this Bristol section. I hear also that the Welsh sections of the M4 will possibly have a permanent average speed camera system switched on ?
I am always amused on being passed at speed by numerous cars when I am sat at the indicated speed limit through the "Bristol" sections of the average speed camera areas of the M5/M4.
Some are well above 80mph day or night.
I have checked all the obvious web sites and no one seems to know.
Thanks...
I now always set the cruise control at 70mph through the variable speed limits or at whatever speed the overhead signs say.
I did hear that 1000+ motorists per month now get speeding tickets through this Bristol section. I hear also that the Welsh sections of the M4 will possibly have a permanent average speed camera system switched on ?
I am always amused on being passed at speed by numerous cars when I am sat at the indicated speed limit through the "Bristol" sections of the average speed camera areas of the M5/M4.
Some are well above 80mph day or night.
I commute from London to the A34 junction (Newbury) every second week and have never seen a camera on that stretch, which explains why if you're not doing at least 80mph you are going backwards in traffic.
ETA there is a thread elsewhere that has mentioned the M4 heading out of London it to be turned into SMART, much like they are doing with the M3 at the moment. But that's way off in the future.
ETA there is a thread elsewhere that has mentioned the M4 heading out of London it to be turned into SMART, much like they are doing with the M3 at the moment. But that's way off in the future.
Edited by parabolica on Monday 3rd October 14:43
Hi, Thanks for the quick reply, keeping up with/in the traffic flow too and from the smoke I do often wonder why accidents are very rare and why it's now very rare to see any policing. I am sensible however and don't push the limits but on the wide open and clear sections I have checked my speed to find I've "strayed" over the limit occasionally and my dash cam, although updated every month or so, seems to warn of cameras that are not apparent but are probably old road work sites.
Mind you I suppose that if I do get a ticket it will make up for years of not having one.
Regards A.
Mind you I suppose that if I do get a ticket it will make up for years of not having one.
Regards A.
parabolica said:
I commute from London to the A34 junction (Newbury) every second week and have never seen a camera on that stretch, which explains why if you're not doing at least 80mph you are going backwards in traffic.
ETA there is a thread elsewhere that has mentioned the M4 heading out of London it to be turned into SMART, much like they are doing with the M3 at the moment. But that's way off in the future.
Have you seen the police car that allways seems to be on the mound before junction 10ETA there is a thread elsewhere that has mentioned the M4 heading out of London it to be turned into SMART, much like they are doing with the M3 at the moment. But that's way off in the future.
Edited by parabolica on Monday 3rd October 14:43
The motorway cameras around Bristol are permanently on even when there is no limit displayed, so be warned.
M4 South Wales - I haven't figured it out yet. They had a couple of fixed gantry cameras each way around Newport, with active speed limit signs. But you coiuld pretty much ignore them. Amidst a blaze of publicity this week they now reckon they are active average cameras, but none of the hardware has changed
M4 South Wales - I haven't figured it out yet. They had a couple of fixed gantry cameras each way around Newport, with active speed limit signs. But you coiuld pretty much ignore them. Amidst a blaze of publicity this week they now reckon they are active average cameras, but none of the hardware has changed
davepoth said:
On the M4/M5 section there are both GATSOs on some of the gantries and a HADECS system. People usually get caught northbound on the M5 where one gantry is usually set at 40mph for no reason in particular. As I did. 
Was that going north between the Avon bridge and the Almondsbury M5/M4 junction?I was caught there in mid-September when travelling north. A number of sequential gantries set at 60mph. When passing under a 60 gantry I could see the next two gantries which were the last at the end of the managed section. The furthest was set at NSL (70) for the end of the speed restriction. For some reason (if I was a cynic I would say for revenue) the last but one was at 50. I was caught at 58. So the limits went 60, 60, 60, 60 ,60, 60, 50, 70, limit ended.
Sandford said:
Hi, Thanks for the quick reply, keeping up with/in the traffic flow too and from the smoke I do often wonder why accidents are very rare and why it's now very rare to see any policing.
Maybe it's because actually allowing people to drive at the speed that best suits them and their vehicle without rigidly enforcing an arbitrary limit is actually safer than forcing everyone to drive slightly too slowly in a bunch; whodathunkit?!?! Also it's rare to see any policing but that doesn't mean that there are not at any given time, dozens of unmarked vehicles on those stretches. Again, because real world experience shows that every time Joe Average motorist spies 'battenberg' (such as the HATO on the mound mentioned earlier on the thread) s/he slams on the anchors to about 60 regardless of where on the road and what they were doing at the time - in this case 'visible' policing creates more danger than just letting the traffic flow like water.
hornetrider said:
M4 South Wales - I haven't figured it out yet. They had a couple of fixed gantry cameras each way around Newport, with active speed limit signs. But you coiuld pretty much ignore them. Amidst a blaze of publicity this week they now reckon they are active average cameras, but none of the hardware has changed
99% Sure there is no average speed check there, only GATSOs a few times on the east and westbound stretches.However, I've noticed that Waze has popped up and says its an average speed so, and I'm pretty sure that's a mistake. This article also implies only gatsos on variable speed limits http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2016-09-26/m4-speed-...
Glosphil said:
davepoth said:
On the M4/M5 section there are both GATSOs on some of the gantries and a HADECS system. People usually get caught northbound on the M5 where one gantry is usually set at 40mph for no reason in particular. As I did.
Was that going north between the Avon bridge and the Almondsbury M5/M4 junction?I was caught there in mid-September when travelling north. A number of sequential gantries set at 60mph. When passing under a 60 gantry I could see the next two gantries which were the last at the end of the managed section. The furthest was set at NSL (70) for the end of the speed restriction. For some reason (if I was a cynic I would say for revenue) the last but one was at 50. I was caught at 58. So the limits went 60, 60, 60, 60 ,60, 60, 50, 70, limit ended.
Port Talbot has AVERAGE speed cameras in the 50 section. After that, there are no more AVERAGE speed cameras on the M4.
There are VARIABLE sections on the Newport and Almondsbury Sections. The Almondsbury sections have a HADECS3 on the east and westbound sections.
After Almondsbury, there are no more gatsos on the M4 Eastbound, save for the one in the 60 section around the heston services area.
As mentioned the Swindon - Newbury sections east and westbound definitely have marked / unmarked cars in the 'Authorised Vehicles Only' watchpoints. Only noticed them in off peak times though, so after 930 and before 5pm. Perhaps the police figured that they would book everyone on the M4 in peak times, because everyone is bombing it off to work.
There are VARIABLE sections on the Newport and Almondsbury Sections. The Almondsbury sections have a HADECS3 on the east and westbound sections.
After Almondsbury, there are no more gatsos on the M4 Eastbound, save for the one in the 60 section around the heston services area.
As mentioned the Swindon - Newbury sections east and westbound definitely have marked / unmarked cars in the 'Authorised Vehicles Only' watchpoints. Only noticed them in off peak times though, so after 930 and before 5pm. Perhaps the police figured that they would book everyone on the M4 in peak times, because everyone is bombing it off to work.
Edited by devnull on Friday 7th October 14:38
hornetrider said:
The motorway cameras around Bristol are permanently on even when there is no limit displayed, so be warned.
M4 South Wales - I haven't figured it out yet. They had a couple of fixed gantry cameras each way around Newport, with active speed limit signs. But you coiuld pretty much ignore them. Amidst a blaze of publicity this week they now reckon they are active average cameras, but none of the hardware has changed
I can sadly vouch for the Bristol M5 fixed gantry cameras - I was snapped out of hours with no temporary restrictions at 83 & took the option fortunately of a Speed Awareness course. What peeved me was that we'd been up/down the M5 every week for 8 months at similar speeds & with no problems. A friend with an understanding of such matters in the Midlands said the cameras on the motorways around Birmingham aren't set up in such a way & I wouldn't have been "pinged".M4 South Wales - I haven't figured it out yet. They had a couple of fixed gantry cameras each way around Newport, with active speed limit signs. But you coiuld pretty much ignore them. Amidst a blaze of publicity this week they now reckon they are active average cameras, but none of the hardware has changed
littleredrooster said:
So - just to clarify - are you asking about Average Speed Cameras (as per thread title), or Variable Speed Limits ("Managed Motorways") because there's a world of difference between them? Your OP seems to suggest that you are confusing the two...
OP has seemingly gone to sleep, so I'll put the quote in bold to see if he wakes up.Everyone else seems to be discussing Variable Speed Limits, not Average Speed Cameras. Does no-one know the difference?
I spent 2015 driving J10-J15 almost daily. Typically 6-9am / 5-8pm. Since then, about twice a week. Mostly traffic will dictate your pace at 70-90, but sometimes you get a good clear run.
Eastbound I've seen a patrol car 3-4 times shortly after J12, on the exit ramp of Membury services maybe 5 times, and probably 20 times shortly before J15. Nothing westbound, ever, until the afore mentioned spot near J10.
You can get a move on when traffic permits between Reading-Swindon. I once came into full view of one of a fully marked 535d patrol car parked up at about 110, getting a bit cocky on an empty road and a few months of no policing, backed off to 85 and not a blink. I do suspect I got lucky there and it served well slowing me down since. I've seen lenience shown to others at 95-100 that shockingly don't seem to notice the highly reflective elevated patrol cars side-on to them for a 1/4 mile.
Of course take the above with a pinch of salt and come to your own conclusions, but my experience is you can drive most of the route confidently with good pace. There are some great open stretched with a good surface, exceeds the quality of any Autobahn I've been on.
Eastbound I've seen a patrol car 3-4 times shortly after J12, on the exit ramp of Membury services maybe 5 times, and probably 20 times shortly before J15. Nothing westbound, ever, until the afore mentioned spot near J10.
You can get a move on when traffic permits between Reading-Swindon. I once came into full view of one of a fully marked 535d patrol car parked up at about 110, getting a bit cocky on an empty road and a few months of no policing, backed off to 85 and not a blink. I do suspect I got lucky there and it served well slowing me down since. I've seen lenience shown to others at 95-100 that shockingly don't seem to notice the highly reflective elevated patrol cars side-on to them for a 1/4 mile.
Of course take the above with a pinch of salt and come to your own conclusions, but my experience is you can drive most of the route confidently with good pace. There are some great open stretched with a good surface, exceeds the quality of any Autobahn I've been on.
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