Are the gantry cameras on the M25 still active?
Discussion
Most of the variable speed limit cameras, except for the section around Heathrow, seem to be HADECS now, but occasionally mixed among them you still see the old school gantry cameras. Are the latter actually used? If so, why is it that they are not coloured yellow but the HADECS are (and didn't used to be)?
edited to say what I meant
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Saturday 13th May 15:41
Hold on a sec - HADCES3 cameras are not average speed cameras, they are spot speed cameras.
I can tell you all the gantry cameras from Heathrow to the Dartford Crossing are no longer operational, regardless of what colour they may be.
Some of the HADECS3 sites in that same section have been installed for many months but not operational and some seem to be on some days and off others, but the general rule is to be careful when the VSL is in place and the rest of the time stay below 90 when you go past them. All the HADECS3s I've seen are now yellow, FWIW.
Again, I only have knowledge of that southern section so can't say for sure what happens elsewhere on the M25.
Average speed cameras are SPECS and they are the ones on yellow poles which are used on the M3, M4 etc. currently to protect the workforce during roadworks.
I can tell you all the gantry cameras from Heathrow to the Dartford Crossing are no longer operational, regardless of what colour they may be.
Some of the HADECS3 sites in that same section have been installed for many months but not operational and some seem to be on some days and off others, but the general rule is to be careful when the VSL is in place and the rest of the time stay below 90 when you go past them. All the HADECS3s I've seen are now yellow, FWIW.
Again, I only have knowledge of that southern section so can't say for sure what happens elsewhere on the M25.
Average speed cameras are SPECS and they are the ones on yellow poles which are used on the M3, M4 etc. currently to protect the workforce during roadworks.
Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Saturday 13th May 15:20
FurtiveFreddy said:
I can tell you all the gantry cameras from Heathrow to the Dartford Crossing are no longer operational, regardless of what colour they may be.
I don't know what type of camera it was but I was doing 70 somewhere around Sevenoaks a few weeks ago and was overtaken by a car who got flashed by some type of camera.john2443 said:
I don't know what type of camera it was but I was doing 70 somewhere around Sevenoaks a few weeks ago and was overtaken by a car who got flashed by some type of camera.
Clacket Lane HADECS3s no doubt. VSL is often active around there for no apparent reason, so a lot of people sail through too fast, including my partner a couple of months ago who had to attend a SAC for doing 60 while a 50 VSL was in place...FurtiveFreddy said:
Clacket Lane HADECS3s no doubt. VSL is often active around there for no apparent reason, so a lot of people sail through too fast, including my partner a couple of months ago who had to attend a SAC for doing 60 while a 50 VSL was in place...
'Smart' motorway 
I guess the boffins did their research & the VSLs/running hard shoulders etc do their bit for traffic flow, but its a real pain getting done unintentionally like that....I got an NIP for 72 on the M25 between Junction 10 and 11 two weeks ago.
Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
mmmunch said:
I got an NIP for 72 on the M25 between Junction 10 and 11 two weeks ago.
Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
There's a HADECS3 both sides of the carriageway close to J10. That section quite often has a VSL due to queuing traffic on and around the A3 junction and last minute lane-switchers can be a bit of a hazard at those times, so the reduced limit shouldn't be a surprise if you travel that section regularly.Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
Once the traffic has thinned out though it's easy for everyone to creep back up to 'normal speed' even though the limit is still in place, so I do sympathise.
Clackett Lane services cameras between junction 5/6 (South side) seems to be permanently on even when the gantries show no restrictions.
Not sure bout the rest as plenty of people have passsed me at well above any restricted speed shown at 0500 in the morning. I cannot believe that they have been fined or I would not have so many people passing me (incl HGVs) or so many occasions. These comments are referring to the area from M26 (SE) through to Heathrow area. Not sure about the rest.
Pip
Not sure bout the rest as plenty of people have passsed me at well above any restricted speed shown at 0500 in the morning. I cannot believe that they have been fined or I would not have so many people passing me (incl HGVs) or so many occasions. These comments are referring to the area from M26 (SE) through to Heathrow area. Not sure about the rest.
Pip
mmmunch said:
I got an NIP for 72 on the M25 between Junction 10 and 11 two weeks ago.
Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
That is such a BS conviction. Sorry to hear it.Apparantly the speed was 60 on the overhead gantry.
After 15 years of travelling that section most days I can't quite believe that:
Its the first time in 15 years
or
I was able to do more that 70 on that section.
Result was £100 and 3 points.
Lesson learned etc.
Pip1968 said:
Clackett Lane services cameras between junction 5/6 (South side) seems to be permanently on even when the gantries show no restrictions.
Not sure bout the rest as plenty of people have passsed me at well above any restricted speed shown at 0500 in the morning. I cannot believe that they have been fined or I would not have so many people passing me (incl HGVs) or so many occasions. These comments are referring to the area from M26 (SE) through to Heathrow area. Not sure about the rest.
Pip
The Clacket Lane cameras are certainly active the vast majority of the time, closely followed by the ones near J10.Not sure bout the rest as plenty of people have passsed me at well above any restricted speed shown at 0500 in the morning. I cannot believe that they have been fined or I would not have so many people passing me (incl HGVs) or so many occasions. These comments are referring to the area from M26 (SE) through to Heathrow area. Not sure about the rest.
Pip
The pair near J6 seem to always be turned off. Why that would be is a mystery to me. They aren't cheap, so there must be a reason.
FurtiveFreddy said:
I can tell you all the gantry cameras from Heathrow to the Dartford Crossing are no longer operational, regardless of what colour they may be.
Can you explain why this is and/or how you know ? E.g. is it because they were film-based cameras and there's no budget for processing the film any more ? There are only a few HADECS3 cameras installed in the section currently, so it does seem a bit surprising that there's not more automatic enforcement of the variable speed limit.
outnumbered said:
Can you explain why this is and/or how you know ? E.g. is it because they were film-based cameras and there's no budget for processing the film any more ?
There are only a few HADECS3 cameras installed in the section currently, so it does seem a bit surprising that there's not more automatic enforcement of the variable speed limit.
They all operate using radar and I have a radar detector in my car, so no radar alert means they aren't active.There are only a few HADECS3 cameras installed in the section currently, so it does seem a bit surprising that there's not more automatic enforcement of the variable speed limit.
They were originally film, but went digital several years ago, so why they don't use them now is anyone's guess. Maybe they decided they were too expensive to maintain and then HADECS3 came along and all new installations had to use that equipment.
As I said above, not all the HADECS3 sites are active either, which I find odd as they've spent the money installing them.
FurtiveFreddy said:
They all operate using radar and I have a radar detector in my car, so no radar alert means they aren't active.
They were originally film, but went digital several years ago, so why they don't use them now is anyone's guess. Maybe they decided they were too expensive to maintain and then HADECS3 came along and all new installations had to use that equipment.
As I said above, not all the HADECS3 sites are active either, which I find odd as they've spent the money installing them.
That's interesting. The pocketgpsworld database, which I use for peace of mind, shows them all as active unfortunately. They were originally film, but went digital several years ago, so why they don't use them now is anyone's guess. Maybe they decided they were too expensive to maintain and then HADECS3 came along and all new installations had to use that equipment.
As I said above, not all the HADECS3 sites are active either, which I find odd as they've spent the money installing them.
outnumbered said:
That's interesting. The pocketgpsworld database, which I use for peace of mind, shows them all as active unfortunately.
That's the drawback of GPS-based databases. There are 3 roadside Gatsos near me which are turned on only for 1 or 2 days a month, probably because they're still film-based and cost too much to run all the time.The deterrent factor is still quite strong with all types of speed camera I think.
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