Safe Speed Forums

Yesterday when out on a ride I spotted a new camera Van set up I can’t see as fair or legal.

It was set up on a bridge over the A3 just before the M25 junction as you go south bound. It was 3 cameras on tripods one over each lane linked by a cable to a Camera van that was only visible once right up alongside the bridge hidden behind some vegetation. I would think any car driver wouldn’t be able to see the van at all from any position on the road.

Is this sort of set up even remotely legal as there are no speed camera signs nor is the marked van visible from the road.

It would have been an ANPR setup, checking for a valid registration, insurance, and probably tax too.

Gareth

It's extremely common to see those sorts of cameras at this location - I drive past there every day. They used to have a very visible presence whenever they were there, with police vans, cars, and motorcycles parked along the bridge, highly visible. The last few times they've been there, they've been as you describe, nothing other than the cameras on tripods visible from the A3, with the police vehicles hidden behind the trees.

Whether they are speed cameras or ANPR I couldn't say. They were certainly there around 3pm on Sunday, and were still there at around 7pm. The bit of the A3 between there and the M25 is extremely dangerous, though, so I could understand having speed enforcement there. I don't know what the accident rate is, but I've personally seen the aftermath of several accidents on that one stretch, so I would guess it is high. That isn't to say the accidents are caused by speed, it's a very badly engineered section of road due to the way it goes from three lanes to two lanes then back to three lanes then back to two lanes, forcing cars joining the A3 at that junction into conflict with the cars exiting for the M25 shortly after. I see a lot of cars really struggling to make the necessary lane change.

They also often have vans parked on roads in that general vicinity, with signs on saying something like "police camera unit for the prevention of crime and disorder". I've often wondered if they're speed cameras or ANPR, as they often seem to be pointed at the higher speed traffic, e.g. if there is a transition between 30mph and 40mph, they'll be pointing at the 40mph section, whereas I'd expect them to be pointing at the 30mph section if they were trying to catch speeders.

I'd say very likely ANPR. They've been setting up on top of motorway bridges in several areas in the south recently. A3(M) and M3 especially while the Trafalgar 200 thing was going on, and I recently saw them on a flyover near the M3 Fleet services. Surrey seems to use ANPR a lot, you usually see them on the A30 every couple of moths or so.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

I have seen the setup you describe over the M62 to the West of Manchester.

I'm certain it is not a speed camera, if it is then it is in testing.

At the time I suspected it was trials of tailgating cameras as these had been in the news at the time and there was not the visible police backup I normally see with ANPR.

Anyone confirm that these are not speed cameras. As I spotted some going West on M58 which runs from M6 to north merseyside. at 11am today.

ID them on this site

http://www.speedcam.co.uk/van3.htm

So for anyone else looking for identification these are ANPR.

What does ANPR stand for?

Automatic
Number
Plate
Recognition/Reader

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Prepare to be Judged

Yup. ANPR. Yoo veel pay yoor tax or vee vill get yoo!

I mean, I'm sure they check for stolen vehicles too, assuming the people who stole them haven't changed the numberplates already.

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Andrew.

You often see a few police bikes tucked a mile or so down the road in case they come up with anything dodgy. Seen this in Hants.

ANPR doesn't seem to be working very well:

The Times

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Brian

Another Labour saving device that don't work.
Only succesfull Labour saving device is procrastination, but even then the day of reckoning comes sooner or later

Personally I hope they are beyond redemption (at last).

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety