Speed Cameras - Explained - Saxperience

dannyboy2005 · 16th March 2009, 20:51

I've seen many people ask about the type of speed cameras over the last few weeks and how they know if they got caught or not. So i'll explain.

Cameras Types

Gatso Speed Camera

here are over 4,000 fixed Gatso speed cameras currently in use by police forces and local authorities across the UK, accounting for 90% of all fixed speed cameras. The Gatso which uses radar technology, is used for fixed speed cameras, in-car mobile units, on tripods and can even be used from moving vehicles.

Fixed Gatso speed cameras are rear facing. This is so the cameras 'flash' does not blind oncoming motorists. Unfortunately, this also means the cameras are not always viewable until the last second (as pictured above). The cost of installing a Gatso speed camera is approximately £20,000, but can cost as much as £40,000 if located in a rural location, as the system requires a 240v power supply.

The fixed Gatso camera has the ability to take up to 400 pictures. Cameras in that are located in busy areas or are particularly hidden, often only last a few hours before the film runs out, soon recouping the £20,000-£40,000 price tag.

Gatso speed cameras can also identify between cars/vans and HGVs separately. For example, if the speed limit was 60mph for cars/vans and 40mph for HGVs the camera will enforce the two separate limits.

It is common for fixed Gatsos to be positioned so they can be turned around to check both sides of the road - but only one direction at a time.

On the M25 in Berkshire and Surrey Gatso speed cameras have been placed in gantries across the width of the motorway with all four lanes covered simultaneously.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a Gatso speed camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. Fine amounts are currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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Truvelo Speed Cameras

The forward facing Truvelo camera system is designed to take photographs of the front of a passing vehicle, this allows the picture taken to show the driver of the vehicle as well.

To avoid the 'flash' which is given out by a rear facing Gatso camera the Truvelo system uses an infra red flash which produces no visible 'flash' to the approaching driver. These rely on 3 white-lines in the road, painted just before the camera, and are triggered by strips in the road, used to gain the vehicles speed.

Truvelo cameras are becoming increasingly more commonplace, counties such as Northamptonshire use predominately only Truvelo cameras.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a Truvelo speed/safety camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. This fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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SPECS Speed Cameras

SPECS average speed camera systems utilise state of the art video system with Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) digital technology. Consisting of a minimum of two cameras each fitted with infra red illuminators fitted on gantries above the road, so they can work day or night. SPECS speed cameras work out the vehicles average speed, given the time it takes to drive between the two camera positions.

SPECS average speed cameras are fitted either at the roadside or in the central reservation (as pictured below) a set distance apart to create a speed controlled zone, or where appropriate, groups of cameras can be linked to create a speed controlled network.

As vehicles pass between the entry and exit camera points their number plates are digitally recorded, whether speeding or not. Then, by ANPR recognition, the images on the video of matching number plates are paired up, and because each image carries a date and time stamp, the computer can then work out your average speed between the cameras. There is no film used for SPECS.

SPECS are commonly used to enforce speed limits on dual carriageways and motorways. This is because one SPECS gantry can monitor up to four lanes of traffic at any one time.

Nottinghamshire currently has the most SPECS speed cameras with no less than 43 pairs all located in permanent sites.

SPECS speed camera are currently in use in permanent locations in the following counties: Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater London, Northern Ireland, Strathclyde, Cornwall, Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire.

In addition SPECS average speed cameras are being used in the following temporary locations: Hertfordshire, Kent, Wiltshire/Berkshire, Devon, Perthshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire and West Midlands.

Quote from the manufactures of SPECS system. "The SPECS system is so efficient and user friendly that Manchester CTO processed 2,500 offences in 6 man-hours".

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a SPECS speed/safety camera system can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. This fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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Peek Speed Cameras

PEEK Traffic cameras within the United Kingdom are in minority in built up areas. Counties currently using Peek Traffic cameras include; Leicestershire, Greater London and Berkshire.

Peek rely on radar technology, similar to a Gatso. They are also rear-facing due to the 'flash'.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a Peek speed/safety camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. This fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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Speedcurb Speed Cameras

Speedcurb roadside speed cameras are often used to monitor traffic light offences as well as speeding offences. These traffic cameras are rear facing and are used in fixed permanent speed camera locations. Like both DS2 and Truvelo speed cameras, SpeedCurb use piezo sensors embedded in the road.

Speedcurb speed camera use piezo sensors in the road surface to calculate the speed of a vehicle passing through the cameras enforcement zone.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a Speedcurb speed camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. Fine amounts are currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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Watchman Speed Cameras

Watchman speed cameras are rear facing roadside cameras similar to Gatso speed cameras using radar to detect speeding vehicles. Watchman traffic cameras are currently on trial awaiting type approval prior to a national installation programme. In addition to the radar module, Watchman also features a second camera for Number Plate Recognition (NPR).

Watchman speed cameras work using radar technology like a Gatso. A radar stream is constantly emitted and when a vehicle passes through above the speed limit a photograph is taken. But unlike a Gatso the Watchman traffic camera calculates your speed as you approach the camera location. Slowing down just as you reach the Watchman speed camera isn't enough as your speed will have already been monitored and will be recorded as you pass the camera, together with a photo of your vehicle. This provides the Watchman speed camera system with a much larger area of monitoring and enforcing the road speed limit.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a Watchman speed camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. Fine amounts are currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

dannyboy2005 · 16th March 2009, 20:51

Traffic Light Speed Cameras

Traffic light cameras are triggered either by using ground loops that are cut into road surface or radar technology. When using loops, as the traffic lights turn red the system becomes active, any vehicle passing over the sensor in the road after this time is then photographed. Radar based traffic light cameras work in the same manner as fixed Gatso speed cameras.

A news story that appeared in the Daily Mail newspaper reported that the Home Office plan to turn over 1,000 traffic light cameras into speed cameras. "More than 1,000 traffic-cameras used to catch drivers jumping red lights are to converted so they can also trap speeders".

The traffic light camera was originally used to measure red light offences. Nowadays the camera can also be used in combination with speed measurement, similar to that of a Gatso speed camera. So you could end with a speeding offence as well as a traffic light offence, if you go through a red light camera!

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a traffic light camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. This fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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DS2 Speed Cameras

DS2 speed cameras also known as SpeedMaster, Autovision or Autovision 2 are different names for a very similar system. These speed cameras are semi-permanent installations and can cover two lanes of traffic travelling in different directions. DS2 traffic cameras can be attended or left unattended whilst enforcing the speed limit.

DS2 speed camera sites work via three piezo strips either on top of the road surface or embedded within the surface of the road, the latter harder to spot. The piezo sensors are set approximately 1metre apart and are accompanied by a short grey post on the roadside. When in use the DS2 site is connected to the safety camera partnership van or unmarked car. Autovision or Autovision 2 can then be used to provide video evidence of the speeding offence. Alternatively the Police will operate with a police car further along the road, and a message will be sent with details of the offending vehicles registration details to stop and issue the speeding offence. As vehicles drive over the three piezo sensors in the road, the DS2 camera equipment can calculate the vehicles speed. DS2 systems can be left unattended with the Autovision system recording vehicle details.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a DS2 speed camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. Fine amounts are currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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Mobile Speed Cameras (These are the ones to watch out for!. I've seen a few at night!)

Police Constabularies across the country use a variety of mobile and hand devices to catch speeding motorists. These systems include; Mini-Gatso, TSS system and Teletraffic (laser guns). Mini-Gatso, the technology used in a Mini-Gatso unit is very similar to that used within a fixed position Gatso speed camera, using radar. Teletraffic police camera teams use mobile vehicle installed with laser speed traps to detect speeding traffic from a distance of 1000 metres. The police laser gun is aimed at a vehicles' number plate and then recorded on video film to record the vehicle speed. This system is generally best for tackling lengths of road, and may be used outside of signed locations.

Most counties across the UK have a 'Speeding Campaign' of some form particularly during festive times when there are more motorists on the road and when people have busier schedules.

Many Police Constabularies and local authorities have routes where they regularly patrol and carry out speed checks. Wrexham for instance in North Wales has a campaign called 'Arrive Alive'. The campaign is fairly high profile, with a dark blue high top transit liveried in the logo "Arrive Alive" on the sides of the van. The van has blacked out windows in the rear apart from a small trapdoor in one window from which the camera lenses protrudes. Other counties have similar projects acting to deter speeding motorists, with some using equipment that first monitors passing vehicles speed and then on large illuminated signs flash up your current speed. Although few prosecutions result from this method, it is more to highlight 'speed' and speeding campaigns.

Recently, residents of a small village Milton of Campsie, on the northern outskirts of Glasgow have been given laser guns to allow them to work on the police-forces behalf. Though they cannot result in a prosecution the information will be passed on the police and could result in a warning letter being sent.

Police Officers in north Wales (March 2008) have been using a horsebox parked by the side of the road to hide a mobile speed camera. Last year Arrive Alive speed cameras in north Wales caught 55,704 offenders. Another 5,610 were caught by officers with hand-held laser devices.

Points and Penalties

Being prosecuted in the UK by a mobile speed/safety camera can result in a minimum of 3 penalty points and a £60 fine. This fine amount is currently under review by the government and may increase in near future.

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If there is any i've missed or any important information then feel free to add!

JamesR^m · 16th March 2009, 20:53

Amazing mate! Should definetly be a sticky!!!

jonnysamol · 16th March 2009, 21:06

Them DS2 ones look worryingly hard to see.

Add91289 · 16th March 2009, 21:11

Quote:

Them DS2 ones look worryingly hard to see.

i was thinkin that!!!
surely they dont comply with the visibility laws?

stevie_m · 16th March 2009, 21:15

yeah they got to show that the camera is there

Chr15 · 16th March 2009, 21:19

You forgot Fail Cam!

On a serious note, good job, should be stickied

I didnt know half of those cameras existed

Add91289 · 16th March 2009, 21:25

LOL!!!^^^

bpm · 16th March 2009, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnysamol

Them DS2 ones look worryingly hard to see.

The DS2 is not a camera its a sensor array that a mobile camera van can link to.

gav1513 · 16th March 2009, 23:33

good work mate, did you actualy type all that or copy and paste from another site? would of killed my fingers typing it all lol yeh defo make a sticky of it

silversaxo113 · 16th March 2009, 23:37

as above i never heard of half of those should definatly be made a sticky

well done though mate good thread

tom130691 · 17th March 2009, 00:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Add91289

i was thinkin that!!!
surely they dont comply with the visibility laws?

yes they are indimidating
i bet northamptonshire has these to we get all the latest police cameras yet we have the 2nd worse police force wtf

LSOfreak · 17th March 2009, 00:44

that cunt on the motorway overpass

i wanna push him off

Richard_279 · 17th March 2009, 01:31

Theres something that looks like a DS2 near my house, but i dont think it checks speed ive read the top and it says survey site.

But theres a poilice car that always sits across the road with his cup of tea think he's bored most of the time