As part of the introduction of smart motorways on some of the busiest roads in the UK, the Highways Agency is set to introduce speed cameras to motorways on a permanent basis.
The organisation is of the opinion that drivers should view smart motorways as a positive move, believing that the new networks will reduce the number of traffic jams and make traffic flow easier on the likes of the M1, M6 and the M25.
On top of this, the Highways Agency announced that speed cameras would be coming to motorways to make the roads safer, as they will target motorists who exceed 70mph. A spokesperson at the agency underlined: “The onus is on the driver to abide by the speed limit.”
Research carried out by the RAC Foundation further highlights the benefits of speed cameras. The study’s data, which can be analysed in depth here, looked at 551 fixed speed cameras in nine locations in the UK. On average, there has been a 27 per cent drop in the number of serious or fatal collisions across the areas since the devices were installed.
However, disapproval of the proposed motorway speed cameras stems mainly from their design. Deemed ‘stealth cameras’ by critics although officially known as Hadsec 3 — short for a Highways Agency digital enforcement camera system — the devices will be grey in colour instead of the usual bright yellow hue.
Looking into this development, Richard Lawson, a spokesperson from the Alliance of British Drivers, pointed out: “If these cameras are grey rather than yellow they are going to be harder to spot and so will have no impact in slowing traffic down. If there is a good reason for the traffic to be slowed down then the cameras need to be as visible as possible.”
The changes could prove troublesome for employers who rely on transportation in their business. However, if there are concerns about how fast staff members are driving, there is already a great solution — tachographs.
A legal requirement for fleet operators and available as both analogue and digital units at specialist retailers like Stoneridge Electronics, tachographs will keep employers updated about the length of time someone has been driving, how far and at what speed to ensure they are abiding to the driving laws.
