Average Speed Camera on M4 J13 eastbound after A34

[jerrin91]

Anyone here has recently driven on m4 stretch between Newbury and Reading? The reason why I ask is I was going eastbound towards Reading yesterday around 10.30am after taking the a34 exit onto m4's j13 and my tomtom was showing conflicting speed limits of 70mph one side of the screen and 50mph in other side and below the 50mph mark was showing 56mph and I wasn't sure what it was. It disappeared after a few miles.



So once I got to my destination I decided to research what was going on to see if it was a tomtom glitch but it wasn't. It’s to do with something called Average Speed Camera. As a new driver, I was never made aware of such types of camera operating and now I am panicking as the reading was saying I was 56mph average in 50. I am pretty sure I saw other vehicles doing around 60-70 there though

But at the same time I don’t remember seeing any camera polls. Also tomtom in one of their forum posts in 2016 confirmed that there are no cameras here (at least not anymore after roadworks were finished) but it was referring to the westbound section of the same stretch. (see the link)

https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/speed-cameras-15...

Anyone has any idea? I don’t mind if there is a fine coming my way but I am worried about it slapping points for speeding

Edited by jerrin91 on Wednesday 1st August 13:50

[covboy]

" It’s to do with something called Average Speed Camera. As a new driver, I was never made aware of such types of camera operating "

OK I'll bite - Are you serious ?

[corozin]

Clearly very green as any fule no the M4 has had these deployed on various stretches for almost 10 years due to roadworks

[jerrin91]

covboy said:

" It’s to do with something called Average Speed Camera. As a new driver, I was never made aware of such types of camera operating "

OK I'll bite - Are you serious ?

Yes it sounds funny but it waa my second time driving on the motorway and i have only heard about/ seen fixed yellow box camera or traffic light cameras. Stupid as it sounds, never about the average speed cameras. And it sounds pointless to me anyhow. The whole point of highway is to keep the traffic steady and move fast as possible. If you going to limit it 50 here and there for no reason, it defeats the purpose of highways. Or if you going to have Average speed cameras, set it 70 so they can see who is actually going beyond the generally set highway speed of 70. Having a 50 here, 60 there and 70 elsewhere is not the way to go.

[S11Steve]

If it is any consolation, there isn't a speeding ticket issued on that stretch on my fleet database.

There are hundreds recorded for Junction 17-18, 19-20 & 26-27 in both directions though.

[jerrin91]

S11Steve said:

If it is any consolation, there isn't a speeding ticket issued on that stretch on my fleet database.

There are hundreds recorded for Junction 17-18, 19-20 & 26-27 in both directions though.

HI s11steve, thanks for the quick response. so you saying there is the avg. camera polls there but they are not enforced between that stretch? or you mean those were temporary cams installed at the time of roadworks?

Could you please confirm for me though if an average speed camera is in existence at all there if you been there recently?

[Matthen]

jerrin91 said:

Anyone here has recently driven on m4 stretch between Newbury and Reading? The reason why I ask is I was going eastbound towards Reading yesterday around 10.30am after taking the a34 exit onto m4's j13 and my tomtom was showing conflicting speed limits of 70mph one side of the screen and 50mph in other side and below the 50mph mark was showing 56mph and I wasn't sure what it was. It disappeared after a few miles.



So once I got to my destination I decided to research what was going on to see if it was a tomtom glitch but it wasn't. It’s to do with something called Average Speed Camera. As a new driver, I was never made aware of such types of camera operating and now I am panicking as the reading was saying I was 56mph average in 50. I am pretty sure I saw other vehicles doing around 60-70 there though

But at the same time I don’t remember seeing any camera polls. Also tomtom in one of their forum posts in 2016 confirmed that there are no cameras here (at least not anymore after roadworks were finished) but it was referring to the westbound section of the same stretch. (see the link)

https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/speed-cameras-15...

Anyone has any idea? I don’t mind if there is a fine coming my way but I am worried about it slapping points for speeding

Edited by jerrin91 on Wednesday 1st August 13:50

Erm, why are you using your TomTom to determine the speed limit? Use signs. They're outside the window, on great big fk off boards with red circles around them. These signs are the only 100% accurate way of determining the current speed limit.

[vsonix]

Funnily enough my first (and only to date) ticket was for 56 in a 50, average speed zone. I'd only recently passed and not seen an average speed zone before!
It was a Sunday afternoon, there was no work being done, no other cars in sight and the zone was really really short. My main mistake was coasting into it instead of braking as soon as I hit the zone.

[chris-.-]

S11Steve said:

If it is any consolation, there isn't a speeding ticket issued on that stretch on my fleet database.

There are hundreds recorded for Junction 17-18, 19-20 & 26-27 in both directions though.

I pass along this whole stretch twice a week - J26/27 I know are fixed gantry cameras, likewise between J19-20, but J17-18, what's there? Mostly from camera vans or traffic stops? I'm not aware of any fixed cameras of any type on that stretch and neither have i seen a camera van, but do quite often see marked plod parked up on the motorway in that area. Interested to know, assuming you have that level of detail...

[jerrin91]

vsonix said:

Funnily enough my first (and only to date) ticket was for 56 in a 50, average speed zone. I'd only recently passed and not seen an average speed zone before!
It was a Sunday afternoon, there was no work being done, no other cars in sight and the zone was really really short. My main mistake was coasting into it instead of braking as soon as I hit the zone.

sorry to hear that. same here.. I have never seen an average speed zone before either nor knew how they work. where did this happen though? if such cameras are here to stay and are being deployed in large quantities, I must say then it has totally succeeded in putting me off driving on the motorways.

[jerrin91]

Matthen said:

Erm, why are you using your TomTom to determine the speed limit? Use signs. They're outside the window, on great big fk off boards with red circles around them. These signs are the only 100% accurate way of determining the current speed limit.

hi matthen, considering it was my 2nd time on motorway I was really observant and I am pretty sure there were no speed limit signs along the speed cam zone.

[S11Steve]

jerrin91 said:

HI s11steve, thanks for the quick response. so you saying there is the avg. camera polls there but they are not enforced between that stretch? or you mean those were temporary cams installed at the time of roadworks?

Could you please confirm for me though if an average speed camera is in existence at all there if you been there recently?

I manage a very large fleet of vehicles, and we have records of ticket we receive - location, date, reg and issuer, dating back to 2009. I've not been there myself for a while, but even if average cameras were in place at some point, we have no record of any speeding ticket being issued by them, and no record of any along that particular stretch.

[S11Steve]

chris-.- said:

I pass along this whole stretch twice a week - J26/27 I know are fixed gantry cameras, likewise between J19-20, but J17-18, what's there? Mostly from camera vans or traffic stops? I'm not aware of any fixed cameras of any type on that stretch and neither have i seen a camera van, but do quite often see marked plod parked up on the motorway in that area. Interested to know, assuming you have that level of detail...

Just looked again - they are all around Summer 2015 and were for a 50mph temporary zone. Judging by the volume we have on record, I reckon the roadworks may well have paid for themselves in fines!!

[jerrin91]

S11Steve said:

jerrin91 said:

HI s11steve, thanks for the quick response. so you saying there is the avg. camera polls there but they are not enforced between that stretch? or you mean those were temporary cams installed at the time of roadworks?

Could you please confirm for me though if an average speed camera is in existence at all there if you been there recently?

I manage a very large fleet of vehicles, and we have records of ticket we receive - location, date, reg and issuer, dating back to 2009. I've not been there myself for a while, but even if average cameras were in place at some point, we have no record of any speeding ticket being issued by them, and no record of any along that particular stretch.

I see. that's relieving to hear steve. I have started a 14 days countdown anyway for the NIP. hoping for the best but prepared for the worst now

[chris-.-]

S11Steve said:

Just looked again - they are all around Summer 2015 and were for a 50mph temporary zone. Judging by the volume we have on record, I reckon the roadworks may well have paid for themselves in fines!!

Interesting, thanks - I vaguely remember those roadworks now. Narrow lanes and average speed cams for bridge or embankment repairs iirc. Glad it's not recent and from a sneaky camera van site or plod behind a bush with a hand held device

57 in a 50, unlucky!

[chris-.-]

jerrin91 said:

I see. that's relieving to hear steve. I have started a 14 days countdown anyway for the NIP. hoping for the best but prepared for the worst now

How long ago was this? The temporary speed restriction between J12-13 was lifted over a month ago

[jerrin91]

chris-.- said:

jerrin91 said:

I see. that's relieving to hear steve. I have started a 14 days countdown anyway for the NIP. hoping for the best but prepared for the worst now

How long ago was this? The temporary speed restriction between J12-13 was lifted over a month ago

hi chris, this was yesterday, 31st july around 10.30AM. do you remember why the temporary speed restriction was put in place for? or you reckon tomtom has been slow to update its speed cam database, assuming it was temprory avg. speed camera it picked up?

[chris-.-]

Bridge repairs - narrow lanes and contraflow, on both carriageways. At it's greatest extent pretty much the whole way from a couple of miles west of J12 through as far as J13. There's not been any sign of anything there for at least a month, no cones, no camera gantries, nothing. There was a previous section of average speed cameras between these junctions as you say, a couple of years ago.

As a previous poster mentioned, use the road signs and other cues for verifying the applicable speed limits, not your satnav. I doubt you have anything to worry about this time though.

[S11Steve]

jerrin91 said:

Yes it sounds funny but it waa my second time driving on the motorway and i have only heard about/ seen fixed yellow box camera or traffic light cameras. Stupid as it sounds, never about the average speed cameras. And it sounds pointless to me anyhow. The whole point of highway is to keep the traffic steady and move fast as possible. If you going to limit it 50 here and there for no reason, it defeats the purpose of highways. Or if you going to have Average speed cameras, set it 70 so they can see who is actually going beyond the generally set highway speed of 70. Having a 50 here, 60 there and 70 elsewhere is not the way to go.

Just to pick up on this point - average cameras are not just confined to Motorways - this is one of the main roads out of Sheffield towards the M1 North, and it has them - https://goo.gl/maps/SABxqScdgGo

Also one of my favourite Sunday morning hoon locations was hindered by them a few years back - although to keep an average in excess of 60 over the Cat n Fiddle takes a bit of bravery in anything other than less than perfect conditions - https://goo.gl/maps/k1n4aY1ivo72

[jerrin91]

S11Steve said:

jerrin91 said:

Yes it sounds funny but it waa my second time driving on the motorway and i have only heard about/ seen fixed yellow box camera or traffic light cameras. Stupid as it sounds, never about the average speed cameras. And it sounds pointless to me anyhow. The whole point of highway is to keep the traffic steady and move fast as possible. If you going to limit it 50 here and there for no reason, it defeats the purpose of highways. Or if you going to have Average speed cameras, set it 70 so they can see who is actually going beyond the generally set highway speed of 70. Having a 50 here, 60 there and 70 elsewhere is not the way to go.

Just to pick up on this point - average cameras are not just confined to Motorways - this is one of the main roads out of Sheffield towards the M1 North, and it has them - https://goo.gl/maps/SABxqScdgGo

Also one of my favourite Sunday morning hoon locations was hindered by them a few years back - although to keep an average in excess of 60 over the Cat n Fiddle takes a bit of bravery in anything other than less than perfect conditions - https://goo.gl/maps/k1n4aY1ivo72

If these things are going to keep popping up everywhere, its going to be the demise of driving. i have high regard for safety but i dont see how this is meant to improve safety. its only going to make people nervous and behave irrationally. lot of future drivers are going to keep away from driving out of fear