Spotted strange car with camera on the roof

[ballon]

Returning from yet another taxi run for the kids yesterday, I driving back into town on the A3 when I noticed what looked like a Smart car parked on the opposite slip road (New Malden exit), the car had a camera mounted on the roof. The car was positioned so it had a view of all 3 lanes of the A3 southbound.

Very suspicious! Has anyone seen these before and what are they?

I know Lambeth Council use Smart cars with cameras to catch bus lane infringement and misuse of cycle lanes etc. However this one did not look like those.

Personally think it's bloody overkill if it is a mobile speed camera as there are 5 fixed cameras between Tibbets corner and the Hook underpass on the A3.

[TUSC-AL]

sounds like ANPR (automatic number plate recognition), although never seen one on a Smart. A few Vectras in that area have them.

[egomeister]

I've seen smart's decked out with some speed measurement kit before - just a kind of "watch your speed" campaign. Can't remember the proper name for the scheme...

[tvrgit]

video traffic count maybe?

[jasandjules]

egomeister said:

I've seen smart's decked out with some speed measurement kit before - just a kind of "watch your speed" campaign. Can't remember the proper name for the scheme...

Cabinet Ministers Golden Pension Fund Scheme? All donations welcome.

[puggit]

Reading council used some like this on the A33 relief road.

Shortly afterwards we're being subjected to a perfectly good roundabout (and the last one on that stretch) being replaced by traffic lights "to help traffic flow" (Reading Council's words).

Oh, and they have admitted to considering congestion charging on that stretch...

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Oh great and I thought the lights idea was bad enough! Now lets charge for using the road so everyone goes back onto the old roads...

[Xaero]

There is a fiesta in my town owned by the council which has a camera mounted on a pole on the roof, apprently it can only be operated when the vehicle is stationary and is for filming yoofs misbehaving to get evidence, and put them off doing whatever they are doing and move along. Not sure how effective it is or if that is true though.