M4 cameras
08 November 2003, 11:10 PM
#1
Unsure if this has had a posting already!
This is a copy of an email recieved from a very reliable source.
I know no more than what is writen, or whether it is legally in force as of now.
NEW SPEED CAMERA SYSTEM ON M4
New electronic signs on the M4 were switched on this
Tuesday. The Bad news is that they are rigged with the
SPECS speed cameras.
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've 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 M4 between Theale (J12) and
Membury Services (between 14 and 15) is wired, both
ways. The system is set to trigger a ticket at 78 mph.
Radar detectors will be of no use as SPECS is entirely
passive, there is no radar or laser beam to detect.
Be warned and spread the news.
As i recieved it!
Take care,
rgds
Ed
This is a copy of an email recieved from a very reliable source.
I know no more than what is writen, or whether it is legally in force as of now.
NEW SPEED CAMERA SYSTEM ON M4
New electronic signs on the M4 were switched on this
Tuesday. The Bad news is that they are rigged with the
SPECS speed cameras.
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've 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 M4 between Theale (J12) and
Membury Services (between 14 and 15) is wired, both
ways. The system is set to trigger a ticket at 78 mph.
Radar detectors will be of no use as SPECS is entirely
passive, there is no radar or laser beam to detect.
Be warned and spread the news.
As i recieved it!
Take care,
rgds
Ed
08 November 2003, 11:19 PM
#2
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They are NOT SPECS cameras!
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/
New M4 Road Gantry Signs
The Highways Agency has installed new signs between J 12 and J 14 of the M4 as part of a year long pilot project to reduce congestion and collisions. The signs have two CCTV cameras. One which monitors the sign itself to make sure its working and displaying the right message; and another to monitor the congestion to evaluate the effect the sign is having on the traffic.
There are NO speed cameras and NO SPECS cameras in the signs!
The only involvement Thames Valley Police has is to change the messages on the signs according to the conditions to give up-to-date information. This is done via our control room. The signs are owned by the Highways Agency.
There is detailed information about the project on the Highways Agency website. Please follow the link below or call them on 0845 955 6575.
New M4 Road Gantry Signs
The Highways Agency has installed new signs between J 12 and J 14 of the M4 as part of a year long pilot project to reduce congestion and collisions. The signs have two CCTV cameras. One which monitors the sign itself to make sure its working and displaying the right message; and another to monitor the congestion to evaluate the effect the sign is having on the traffic.
There are NO speed cameras and NO SPECS cameras in the signs!
The only involvement Thames Valley Police has is to change the messages on the signs according to the conditions to give up-to-date information. This is done via our control room. The signs are owned by the Highways Agency.
There is detailed information about the project on the Highways Agency website. Please follow the link below or call them on 0845 955 6575.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/ms4/09.htm
And from the Highways Agency:-
The Motorway Signal Mark 4 (MS4)
New motorway information signs switched on
New road signs giving clearer information about road conditions to drivers were switched on, October 8 on the M4 in Berkshire . The signs replace existing message signs dating from the 1970s.
The signs - know as MS4s - provide drivers with red and white temporary speed restrictions, accident warnings and alerts for traffic jams and dangerous conditions.
This £16 million first UK pilot, which will help reduce accidents and save lives, uses hi-tech features enabling the signs to use both pictures and text to inform people.
Tests have already shown that motorists respond to incidents ahead and queues a second faster to pictures and lower case text in an instant, making the difference between slight and fatal injuries.
Communications equipment embedded in the road monitors traffic flow and queuing traffic and automatically sets speed signs to show a lower speed limit preventing incidents. New CCTV will also help police monitor incidents and provide information to motorist about road conditions.
Transport Minister Dr Kim Howells switched on the signs, and also visited the £38.5 million A34 Chieveley scheme, which provides a through route from the A34 under the M4 and connections back to the existing M4 at Junction 13. This scheme will cut congestion at this busy intersection between Oxford and Winchester and reducing accidents by 13 per cent.
I hope that this clears things up.
Regards
Ian
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/
New M4 Road Gantry Signs
The Highways Agency has installed new signs between J 12 and J 14 of the M4 as part of a year long pilot project to reduce congestion and collisions. The signs have two CCTV cameras. One which monitors the sign itself to make sure its working and displaying the right message; and another to monitor the congestion to evaluate the effect the sign is having on the traffic.
There are NO speed cameras and NO SPECS cameras in the signs!
The only involvement Thames Valley Police has is to change the messages on the signs according to the conditions to give up-to-date information. This is done via our control room. The signs are owned by the Highways Agency.
There is detailed information about the project on the Highways Agency website. Please follow the link below or call them on 0845 955 6575.
New M4 Road Gantry Signs
The Highways Agency has installed new signs between J 12 and J 14 of the M4 as part of a year long pilot project to reduce congestion and collisions. The signs have two CCTV cameras. One which monitors the sign itself to make sure its working and displaying the right message; and another to monitor the congestion to evaluate the effect the sign is having on the traffic.
There are NO speed cameras and NO SPECS cameras in the signs!
The only involvement Thames Valley Police has is to change the messages on the signs according to the conditions to give up-to-date information. This is done via our control room. The signs are owned by the Highways Agency.
There is detailed information about the project on the Highways Agency website. Please follow the link below or call them on 0845 955 6575.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/ms4/09.htm
And from the Highways Agency:-
The Motorway Signal Mark 4 (MS4)
New motorway information signs switched on
New road signs giving clearer information about road conditions to drivers were switched on, October 8 on the M4 in Berkshire . The signs replace existing message signs dating from the 1970s.
The signs - know as MS4s - provide drivers with red and white temporary speed restrictions, accident warnings and alerts for traffic jams and dangerous conditions.
This £16 million first UK pilot, which will help reduce accidents and save lives, uses hi-tech features enabling the signs to use both pictures and text to inform people.
Tests have already shown that motorists respond to incidents ahead and queues a second faster to pictures and lower case text in an instant, making the difference between slight and fatal injuries.
Communications equipment embedded in the road monitors traffic flow and queuing traffic and automatically sets speed signs to show a lower speed limit preventing incidents. New CCTV will also help police monitor incidents and provide information to motorist about road conditions.
Transport Minister Dr Kim Howells switched on the signs, and also visited the £38.5 million A34 Chieveley scheme, which provides a through route from the A34 under the M4 and connections back to the existing M4 at Junction 13. This scheme will cut congestion at this busy intersection between Oxford and Winchester and reducing accidents by 13 per cent.
I hope that this clears things up.
Regards
Ian
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10 November 2003, 11:14 AM
#11
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I have seen the signs and they are very effective even in bright sunshine they can bee seen from a further distance than the traditional signs... thumbs up from me! 
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