Went from Bristol to London along the M4 today as I often do on business, and I noticed lots of new signs have appeared, mainly between Bristol and Swindon. Currently theyre covered with green sheets, but I saw one where half the sheet had blown off, revealling a speed camera sign under it

If you look at them closely you can just about see the speed camera logo under the green sheets. So looks like a massive revenue raising operation is about to start along there - and it used to be one of the few roads you could travel along safely at 80-90 as motorway police cars seem realistic and dont pull you for those speeds unless driving dangerously.

Can only guess SPECS or sh"t loads of mobile speed vans will appear soon when the signs get unveiled

 

I hope they don't put any on the rest of the M4 (the Welsh bit) It would be a complete tragedy.

 

I could be wrong on this (and am prepared to be shot down if I am) but I don't think that there are currently any speed cameras on UK motorways where the permanent speed limit is 70mph.

There are cameras on bits of the M4 from the M25 into London where the limit drops to 60 (or is it 50?) after you pass Heathrow. There are cameras on the M25 where the "adaptive speed limit" operates (again, near Heathrow).

As for the "s* loads of camera vans" bit, the M6 in Cumbria is free from the signs, but that doesn't stop bridges having vans on them so I don't think that there needs to be a warning sign on a motorway to let you know that your speed might be measured.

There are also cameras on a lot of motorway roadworks where the limit is reduced from 70, but I can't think of any fixed cameras in a "70 all the time area".

It's a couple of years since I've been there, but as the M4/M5 junction was always a bit of a pain in the bottom is it a possibility that the area is going to have variable speed limits introduced? That would make the cameras at least sound like they fitted in with the general "Not on motorways unless the limit is under 70" rule.

 

there were temp ones on the m4/5 interchange
and there is one by m25/slough junc..

Those gantry signs do something very strange when you approach them at over 100- they flash a red dot.... then the next one you pass will do the same. If you are going slower its often a yellow dot. Flashes very fast- but definately does it.. it wouldnt surprise me to be honest if they do have some trickery planned.

Im forever travelling down there at 3 or 4am en route back from gigs (both the england and the wales sections)- will be a pain in the *** if they have whopped a load of cams there

 

they have introduced a variable speed limit on the M4 around slough before joining the m25 and there are new speed cameras in the overhead gantries. I havent seen anymore between slough and bristol recently, but would like to hear if that situatgion changes

I also believe that there are no speed cameras with the exception of specs operating at the 70 mph limit, the cameras are used during lowered speed limits. But I wouldnt trust me licence on that "wives tale".

 

I wouldn't think the cameras will click at anything under 85mph .......

Pete

 

A friend of mine has just been"done" by a camera for 79 mph in a 70 zone!

Les

 

In response to people not seeing camera vans on the motorway, South Wales and Gwent Police use camera vans on the M4, normally positioned over bridges. These are used on normal 70 mph limits and must catch hundreds of people per day.

 

on the m4??????

 

Sure there used to be some on the M5 around Taunton?

 

Yeah I always see one on a bridge just before Bridgend - cunning place as its downhill and on a corner, so you only see the camera at the last minute - must rake it in

I also saw a camera van on the M4 just before Slough. Also saw one on a duel carriageway in Wales when I was doing 75-78 speedo reading...

 

Just remembered there's one northbound on the A380 from Torquay to Exeter so defo in 70 mph limits.

 

If it's an A road with a 70 limit, presumably it's a dual carriageway. However, my original suggestion was that there are no fixed cameras on motorways with permanent 70mph limits.

I can think of several stretches of motorway with fixed cameras such as the M4 inside the M25, but the limit there is 60 or 50. There are also the gantry cameras on the M25 near Heathrow, but the limit there is variable. The SPECS cameras on the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 (where the limit is usually 70) are there for the roadworks and in a 40 limit.

Camera vans are used on 70mph stretches of motorway and marked and unmarked Police cars can be used anywhere, but it occured to me that I don't think I have ever seen a fixed camera on a stretch of motorway with a permanent 70 limit. (I've averaged more than 25000 miles per year for the last 20 years or so, so I've seen quite a few stretches of motorway )

As also said before though, happy to be proved wrong if anyone can think of a fixed camera on a 70mph stretch of motorway.

 

A "real" 79 was probably over 85 speedo-indicated (usually 5-10% over-read)

 

They did install several on the M4 a while back in similar circumstances - they only went live when roadworks started, I think to install the big overhead signs? Could be the same about to happen again. IIRC there have been some roadworks recently between J17-18ish? (I normally get off and go cross-country before then, so can't be sure)

 

What about those on the M11 south of Cambridge somewhere. It's a while since I was there, but I'm sure that was 70 and no road works at the time.

 

That part of the M11 is a bit of the motorway network that I don't use much, so there could be cameras there, however theCambridgeshire Police map doesn't have any marked.

Neither do Essex or Hertfordshire have any listed on the M11 (apart from one in Essex on a 50mph stretch at Chigwell).

As said before, I'm happy for my theory to be disproved, but it seems to be standing up pretty well so far.

 

M6 - take your pick of cameras, it used to be possible to lose you license within a few miles of Lancaster services by collecting 3 points on each camera. M74 has a couple of grey boxes on it. I'd guess at least one of the million cameras on the A1M must be on 70 motorway but can't guarantee that as it has been a while since I last dared to travel that road. Don't have much in the way of motorway up here, but I dare say they would litter them with cameras like they do dual carriageway around junctions rather than redesigning the road layout to make it safer.

 

[Pedantic DouglasB Mode]

A1M is an A road with motorway rules therefore doesn't count

[/Pedantic DouglasB Mode]

Only joshing mate

 

[Pedantic me mode ]
"Used to be possible on M6" - during road works. There were cameras on top of the pedestrian bridge at Forton services. The white lines on the carriageway are still there, but the cameras have been gone for about 5 years. The more recent roadworks near Lancaster had cameras, but they've gone as well.

As for the M74, it's not a road I would do an excessive speed on due to the number of police cars that patrol it but I don't think there are any fixed cameras. Didn't see any when I use the Gretna-Bothwell stretch within the last fortnight and didn't have any GPS warnings either.

I agree about the non-motorway A1 north of Newcastle. The number of cameras used at junctions as an alternative to improving the road is spectacular.

[/pedantic me mode ]

Oh crap! This feeling that I have a theory that I'm not convinced that anyone has disproved makes me think that I'm turning into Pete Lewis . Apologies to Petem95 for a bit of a thread hijack. I'll start my own thread to debate my theory

Doug

 

Check this out

http://www.safetycameras-wiltshire-s....asp?newsid=61

 

That only mentions having the mobile cams in roadworks, theyve had them in the roadwork lots of times.

Cant believe their catchphase: "We dont want to catch you, we want you to slow down" - yeah right

 

I noticed that. The picture that caught my eye was the one where the police officer was hiding alongside his van

 

This bit caught my eye on the cambs website

- Because of the small numbers involved, going from 0 casualties before to 2 casualties after installation of a camera is not indicative of an ineffective camera. Accidents are, by their own definition, unpredictable and open to natural fluctuation in their occurrence.

Could also equally apply to this

Because of the small numbers involved, going from 2 casualties before to 0 casualties after installation of a camera is not indicative of an effective camera. Accidents are, by their own definition, unpredictable and open to natural fluctuation in their occurrence.

 

The B7076 is much more fun to make progress on

 

There was one there on the Monday after christmas - bank holiday, no traffic, good weather and there they were out collecting revenue. Passed then at an indicated 80ish so should be OK. Wifes sister gone done on M4 twice in one journey both at over 90, but I suspect she was too busy doing her make-up to notice the cameras.