Speed Cameras

[rhosneigr]

Anyone else heard the whisper that average speed cameras have been installed at various locations on the M6 between Preston and Birmingham.

[rhosneigr]

Sorry change seed to speed

[JOHNNY-BOY]

This is a fake story.

They are digital signs with no cameras in them :)

[aido]

This is a fake story.

They are digital signs with no cameras in them :)

Is this definitely fake? I was at a customer site yesterday in Samlesbury and this was getting passed around and they said one of the engineers there knew the guy who installed them..

From what I heard they are set to produce a ticket automatically if you average above 78mph and are totally automated...

[lexussport]

This is not a fake story ........

SPEC cameras are fitted on the roadworks (Viaduct bridge) near Warrington on the M6, they are picked up and identified by my Origin Blue i detector. ;)

[Pete_G]

Here's the story on an email as passed to me today (still not sure of it's authenticity tho' - but just FYI)

*************

Speed Camera

The new electronic signs on the M6 were switched on this Tuesday. The bad news is that they are rigged with the SPECS speed cameras. This probably applies to all the new signs being installed on the M62, M60 and M56. SPECS is a computer-camera based system. As you go past the sign a digital camera reads your number plate. When you go past the next sign your number plate is read again. The computer 'knows' how far apart the signs are so it can work out your average speed between the two, or three or four.The system is fully automatic and will issue a ticket without any form of human intervention. It does this for every single vehicle that passes. You will not know you have been caught as the cameras don't flash. They work 24/7, 365 days a year, and theoretically, there's absolutely no limit on the number of tickets that the system can issue. The whole section of the M6 between Knutsford and Preston is wired, both ways. The system is set to trigger a ticket at 78MPH. (Don't take this as a guarantee) Radar detectors will be of no use as SPECS is entirely passive,

there is no laser beam to detect.

Be warned and spread the news!

[Lexus Jim]

Holy :tsktsk:

If thats true and its set to spread all over the country then were all buggered

[Cheds]

SPEC cameras are fitted on the roadworks (Viaduct bridge) near Warrington on the M6, they are picked up and identified by my Origin Blue i detector. 

(sorry)I am looking to get the origin blue i detector do you rate it ?

[ekky]

I seen the same email for about four or five differnet motorways, I think it was also on Top Gear and the BBC website. If my memory service me right all agencies denied knowing anything about it it probably fake. And cameras are supposed to be clearly visible.

There are SPECS on the Thellwall viaduct they have have been there for well over twelve months

[JOHNNY-BOY]

There was an article about these e-mails in particular the M6 ones in last weeks Autoexpress, I can't remember the full story and I have left my copy in Germany. It might be on their web site though.

[stevenage_saint]

Talking to a traffic police officer in cheshire I was told it was news to him as he had seen the roumor and asked about it only be told no they are not putting cameras in sign.

It is worth noting that Cheshire police now use Specs cameras at major road work areas - when they have them available, otherwise it is gatso's. I know on Thelwall viaduct a couple of thousand speeders were caught in a week.

[ricky_is200]

This is not a fake story ........

SPEC cameras are fitted on the roadworks (Viaduct bridge) near Warrington on the M6, they are picked up and identified by my Origin Blue i detector. ;)

Thats in roadworks though isn't it Dave? And the speed camera's are well signposted.

[stevenage_saint]

they also work all the time and plenty of people at night there are many people who go through at 70mph.

[mikel]

Scarey stuff if its true, I'm sure confirmation will be forthcoming in the very near future,i.e. tomorrows post !!

[twotone]

Same rumour was spread about the M4 in the last couple of months and read pretty similar to the quote above.

The Association of British Drivers discounted this rumour...please read the extract below from their website www.abd.org.uk

M4 SPECS Rumour False

Another silly rumour is being circulated about SPECS speed cameras being hidden in new message signs on the M4 between J12 and J14. The Highways Agency have advised us that this is not true. The signs are merely linked to sensors that monitor overall traffic speed in order to activate the warning signs.

A similar rumour was circulated earlier this year relating to such signs on the M4 in South Wales. There is a growing suspicion that these rumours are being deliberately engineered by anti-car groups.

I have emailed them to check if they can update their site as regards this newest M6 rumour...so it can be buried once and for all......I come across this so much its starting to make me

[lexussport]

Rich,

Yes it is in the roadworks bit,

Cheds,

Origin Blue, OK, quality not to good I'm on my third. Customer service is about as bad as it can get when you contact them.

Looking at getting the second version B2 (only reports say the quality is still poor) i.e they keep breaking. However they work very well in detecting cameras etc.

[Monster-Mat]

my theory is..........

if like the poll tax, everyone decided not to pay there speeding fines generated by speed cameras, then eventually the courts system would be flooded and the govt would have to act.......

how about we start drawing up plans, and fighting for our civil rights

[SteJ]

Unless legislation has changed again, as previously stated in this thread, speed cameras need to be 'clearly' visible in order to alert drivers of these 'accident blackspots'.

The cameras over the Thelwall Viaduct have a sheet of bright orange canvas placed behind them. This was done following the aforementioned change in legislation. Most static GATSO cameras around my neck of the woods have the rear of the box painted yellow, which you will then see prior to approaching. Point being you are supposed to be able to see the camera prior to the hazard (i.e roadworks, blackspots etc.)

Can't see how a camera placed in a motorway sign can be overtly marked/visible without obstructing the sign itself.

Think this may be one of those infamous 'urban myths' floating around, usually generated by people with ulterior motives. We normally get ones in N/West area around Christmas time relating to 'terrorist activity' at large shopping centres etc.

Anybody sweating on possible tickets, a Notice of Intended Prosecution is still a legal requirement under the Road Traffic Act, which needs to be served on the REGISTERED KEEPER of the offending vehicle, within 14 DAYS

If a fortnight has passed, you're sorted anyway.

[Mitch]

my theory is..........

if like the poll tax, everyone decided not to pay there speeding fines generated by speed cameras, then eventually the courts system would be flooded and the govt would have to act.......

how about we start drawing up plans, and fighting for our civil rights

here here...........i agree wit supercharged.........everyone should stand up to this......... we pay road tax and high insurance plus high car prices so we should be able to driv r cars into the 3figure speeds on certain roads..............

as for m6 cameras......i drive to birmigham junction 14 to 6 couple of times a week and apart from roadworks around junction 11 there are no other cameras as i shift after the cameras think rumour started by authorities to scare ppl but then i could be wrong

[Fidgits]

Unless legislation has changed again, as previously stated in this thread, speed cameras need to be 'clearly' visible in order to alert drivers of these 'accident blackspots'.

Erm, I'm not a 100% clear on this, but I think it has been 1/2 repealed.

If the camera revenue goes to the local council, then it has to be obvious, but if it goes to the police then they dont.

[twotone]

Mark McArthur-Christie from the Association of British Drivers replied to my email today and wrote:

From: "Mark McArthur-Christie"

To: "lexi" Subject: Re: New SPECS hidden in signs rumour spreading like wildfire

Date: 04 December 2003 09:47

Thanks Mark - it's another hoax.  There are no SPECS operating on the 

M6 as far as we know at the moment - although they were installed 

during the recent roadworks, and removed again.

All the best

Mark

----------

Mark McArthur-Christie

Road Safety and Transport Spokesman

Association of British Drivers,

[lexussport]

So the ones on the Thelwall Viaduct must be on another motorway ;) ......

Perhaps Mark McArthur-Christie should get his facts right, they are still there on the M6...:P

[GreyBeard]

this might add a small smile to this topic:

[GreyBeard]

i had an email reply from our local police stating that the rumours about the CCTV speed cameras on the M4 were all false, as there are categorically no cameras on the new matrix signs. when i replied that there clearly are cameras mounted on the top of each sign, the silence of their reply was deafening!

whoever, another source said the sign mounted cameras work like the TrafficMaster ones, in that they read the centre four digits of a number plate, then calculate the time taken to get from one sign to the next, and this information is used 'solely for calculating the average speed of traffic'.

it needs only a tweek of a computer program to read all the digits, and then issue tickets, bit like a gold plated toll booth really!

[AltezzaScott]

There are camera over the Thelwall Viaduct..... but only whilst there are roadworks going on.. seem to always put them up when roadworks are in place. ( fair play, gotta protect those guys working on the motorway.) but the other rumours are.... just rumours,

Its been on the radio this morning stating that it IS just rumour....SOURCE GMP + Cheshire police... so stop worrying fellas!! :D