13th December 2024
Speed cameras are essential for keeping motorists, pedestrians and other road users safe. On the UK’s road network, there are over 7,000 speed cameras currently in operation throughout the four nations, making Britain one of the most camera-dense countries in the world. These cameras can catch motorists speeding on motorways, dual carriageways and residential roads.
Learn more about what types of speed cameras are on UK roads and how they are used in Merityre’s helpful article.
Fixed speed cameras are the most common speed cameras found on British roads. The first Gatsometer BV (or ‘Gatso’ brand) speed camera to be installed in the UK was on the 22nd May 1992 on the A316, south-west of Twickenham Bridge.
In the first 22 days of the camera being switched on, it recorded 22,939 drivers exceeding 65mph. Fixed speed cameras were originally painted grey but in 2015 the government announced a common-sense approach to cameras on motorways recommending that they should all be painted yellow by 2016 so that they were clearly visible to motorists.
While cameras can capture two pictures of the rear of your car, they cannot take an image of the front number plate. The photographs can compare the vehicle’s positioning on the white lines, dividing the total speed by the distance covered to find out if you have exceeded the speed limit.
Mobile speed cameras are a type of speed camera deployed on roads where a high number of incidents have been recorded. Mobile speed camera vans are most commonly used to catch speeding drivers on these types of roads but other devices, such as handheld radar equipment or mini ‘Gatso’s’ can also be used. The location of a mobile speed camera used on motorways or dual carriageways are not fixed so drivers will not know when and where they will be in operation.
Average speed cameras can measure your car’s average speed over a set distance instead of how fast you go past a camera.
You can find average-speed cameras on smart motorways and A roads, and they are placed on overhead gantries. An average-speed camera is often painted grey or yellow and uses automatic number plate reading (ANPR) technology to track your vehicle’s number plate and speed.
The cameras can record the time and date that you travelled past them. The average speed is calculated by recording the time it takes your vehicle to travel between two fixed cameras.
Variable speed cameras work like average speed cameras, except they are not operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most variable speed cameras are used on smart motorways when the speed limit is reduced due to an accident or to ease congestion. You can find the variable speed cameras on the overhead gantries, with the speed limit being displayed on the signs above the motorway.
AI speed cameras are the latest type of speed camera being deployed on UK roads and were introduced in 2023. The first AI speed camera was installed in May 2023, on the A23 in Lambeth, London.
These cameras are different to other speed camera models. An AI speed camera uses 4D radar technology and high-resolution imagery to catch motorists committing driving offences. Whether you are speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone whilst driving or driving an uninsured vehicle, the AI speed camera can pick up any driving offences you have committed as it provides clear images of the driver and any front-seat passengers.
While AI speed cameras are still in the trial phase, these speed cameras will issue you with fines once they are implemented on the UK’s road network over time.
Avoid getting fined for driving without a valid MOT, and what penalties you may face with our guide. Alternatively, book your annual MOT or service online at your nearest Merityre garage across South-East England.