Rum*

Just taken the godson down to Meadowhall for his birthday present - and there are a few cameras, positioned on some pretty serious looking, permanent gantrys over various lanes of the M1 north and southbound just outside Leeds....

Anyone else seen them...more to the point are they plods new toys???

Comments appreciated???

Rum

Rum*

I take it no one else has seen them...

James Neill

iTrader: (1)

They're the SPEC cameras that have been talked about in a recent thread. Not very nice, and yep they're permanent.

They measure your average speed between two and automatically send out tickets based on the measurements (ie, no film to run out - always on). Its basically a license to print money.

A story I've heard (might not be true) - was that when considered for installation on the M25, the bottleneck in the system was not the camera, but the printer, wehich couldn't print out the tickets fast enough to keep up.

Ron H

My Friend tells me that the ones on the M25 never existed (the variable ones do though)

Any Thoughts.....

Stuart H

The cameras were tested by Kent Police on the M20.

And no, the printer couldn't keep up.

Beef

They were tested on the M20?!?!?! Holy crap - I bet my car appears on a few of their piccies.

Stuart H

If you want to know exactly how SPECS works have a look at

Smudge

Are they in the 50 limit? If so, I'm screwed. I generally do 60-70 along there and it's pretty close to my house - I use that a lot.

Ulp...

Smudge

johnfelstead

those cameras have been on the M1 at leeds for at least one year now.

I dont know if they are active or not yet, they point to 2 markers on the road that are about 1 foot apart.

I am asuming they have an image system that trigers them into action when you pass over the markers at a set speed and that then the next camera is prepaired to take the measurement of speed over 1/4 mile.

Could be wrong, just my thoughts on how it could work as i have designed a system in factory automation that uses a similar idea.

As to the printer, if its a system running on test i could accept the printer being used being a bottlekneck.

Once live however there is no way anyone would design a system based on printer speed, anyone in IT can tell you that.

Looking grim isn't it.

KenG

John, The cameras are at the roadworks near Wakefield and were installed a few weeks ago. The posts they are mounted on what looks like gothic lamp standards.

One of our customers designed and supplied the system they use. I can only advise that you do no go more than 50 through the roadworks. The system works!

Ken

James Neill

iTrader: (1)

JohnF - There have been camera's there for a while (they're the ones marked with 'camera 1' ... and so on)

The new cameras are on posts that stretch out over the middle of the carriageway. I've been assured that they trigger at 50mph (or v. close) as well. I guess they change to 70mph when the roadworks finish.

Its quite funny how everyone slows down (myself included) and sits at 50 all the way through the roadworks - everyone stays perfectly level across the carriageways Very rarely have I seen drivers ignoring that cameras and road works.

Obviously a reason they've been installed is as a license to print money. Where does this money go - the local police force (Stuart????). Anyway, the scheme could fail if ironically everyone carries on as they have been doing so far - which is slow right down to fifty and stay at that speed all the way. If everyone does this then the speed fines aren't coming in to pay for it. Although they won't admit it the potential for SPECS to save lives (due to execessive speeding) is probably secondary. The powers that be are probably well peeved that everyone is actually doing fifty through them at the moment.

BladeRnnr

james, every time i go through at fifty i am usually passed by 20-30 cars doing alot more like 70 and thats from Jct40 Ossett......to 39 at Durkar...

so i guess it might be paying for it self afterall,
mike f.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Blade

Not for long as all the regular offenders will soon be banned....

Stuart H

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by James Neill:
<B>Where does this money go - the local police force (Stuart????).[/quote]

The only forces who get to keep the revenue generated by speed cameras are the forces taking part in a Home Office pilot.

They are: Strathclyde, Cleveland, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Thames Valley, Essex and South Wales. They will keep some of the revenue in order to foot the bill of buying camera equipment, maintaining it and the processing of fixed penalty tickets.


[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 09-07-2000).]

johnfelstead

Ah, these airnt the cameras i was talking about then.

The ones i was refering to are on the new north link M1 near leeds.

There are loads of cameras pointing at 2 markings in the road for a 10 mile stretch, never seen these anywhere else in the country.

Smudge

I'm with you now.

Watch yourself on the new link road. Cops are on there all the time. I generally get on at the A6120 junction and there is regularly a car, sat timing people across the VASCAR marks from the entry ramp. Many is the time I am just getting onto the link and they blast past to pull someone. Do not speed on this stretch of road!

I have not noticed the cameras, but my previous advice would have been to slow down past the entry ramps. Looks like it's all a bit iffy now.

Noticed the boys in blue setting themselves up in the same fashion on the A639 turnoff last night at about 5.45 too.

Smudge

PS I know the cameras you mean on the M1 nr Wakefield. I thought they were just monitoring cameras to check congestion? It doesn't surprise me though, as whenever there are roadworks on the M1, anywhere between the M62 and the Derbyshire border, there have ALWAYS been Gatso's installed.