New speed traps being tested

el tel

The system is probably too complex for the Garda:D Northerners are basically being forced to do their speeding in the South.

"Belfast Telegraph Home > News


Coming to Ulster: the speed trap motorists can't avoid

10 July 2006
Police in Northern Ireland are to pilot new speed camera technology as their latest weapon in the battle against killer drivers, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
The new cameras, which are due to be tested on roads in Co Down later this year, employ sophisticated wireless technology to calculate the automatic average speed of drivers over a distance before penalising them.
The high-tech cameras have not yet been approved for use by the Home Office, but it is anticipated they could catch thousands of motorists known as 'camera surfers' who are currently escaping prosecution by slowing down when they pass the location of conventional speed cameras and avoiding £60 fines.
Earlier this year the PSNI announced it is to introduce SPECS1 cameras on the A1 near Newry, one of the most dangerous roads in the province.
They are cameras which are linked by underground cables and measure average speed between two points.
But this paper has learnt that police are also to test new SPECS3 cameras which are not physically linked but have synchronised clocks and use wireless technology to send information to a processing centre.
The cameras are due to be tested on a main road between Dundonald and Newtownards but motorists will not receive tickets although they may be aware that the cameras are recording them.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Police are intending to test a pilot exercise on the Kempestones Road later this year.
"The aim is to monitor speeds over a longer period."
The new camera technology has run into controversy in the rest of the UK where it has been reported that local authorities could use them in built-up residential areas with a 20mph speed limit as an alternative to road humps.
However, a police spokeswoman said this was not being considered for Northern Ireland.
The SPECS3 cameras have already been tested in London and if approved, could be introduced as soon as next year.
Speed cameras have attracted heavy criticism throughout the UK with political parties and motoring groups branding the cameras, which can lead to £60 fines, as a "tax on motorists".
In the four years after the cameras were introduced in Northern Ireland local motorists paid out £4m in fines.
However, police claim cameras lead to a reduction in deaths".

Seanie M

There's a similar set up between toll booths on the motorways of Germany, France, and Belgium. Each reg is read by the camera at one booth. When read at the following booth, the second camera reading the reg knows it should have taken a certain amount of time for that car to reach it - if that time is too short, a fine is imposed.

Its only at the introductory phase, but apparently it is working. Not here though... with the queueing system in place to get past any toll booth, the whole timing process will be screwed up!

Interceptor

In Australia they use overhead planes to record a cars speed by measuring the time taken to travel between marks on the road. The plane radios ahead to waiting ground patrol when it detects a bogey.

*me googles stealth paint for next car...*

'cptr