# Camera gantries



## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Hello,

I was just discussing with the wife about camera gantries across motorways etc the ones with 3 cameras & we both agreed that one of them was probably specs recording speed over a set distance,but what about the other two doe's anyone on here know??


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## bigx (May 16, 2005)

Hi
If they are like those we have here in Ireland there is one reading the number plates for each lane.This info is then fed to the police regarding tax or insurance etc.Often see roadblock soon after cameras targeting certain vehicles.
Yours X


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

OH Thanks bigx


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## mikeyv (May 23, 2007)

I would think it's more likely one for each lane - how else could it get an image for each vehicle when the m'way is busy and they are often three abreast?

This would also tie in with the often quoted belief that swapping lanes would fool the system - though I'm inclined to think that might be an urban myth.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

Some of the "cameras" will be the devices that read number plates of passing cars and then by reading them again further on, work out the average traffic speed on that stretch of the road or motorway.

They are part of the Trafficmaster system and the "cameras" can be seen on roadsides too...often in blue coloured enclosures.

The information they gather can be seen for free on the website Here <<< ... where the actual traffic speed is shown on a map of the UK....I find it really useful when traveling ... we ( my navigator) logs on there to check that our route is moving :roll:

Mike


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Speed*

Hi

I too would think that there is one speed check camera per lane. If there was only one speed camera - for example in the middle lane, how on eart could the "average speed checks" - such as the ones in the long roadworks atretch on the M1 Notingham/Mansfield work?

Russell


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

When they interviewed a police spokesman during the M1 roadworks at J6 to J10, the spokesman confirmed that currently SPECS cameras only work on one lane. Therefore if you change lanes they will not catch you. However, to catch the clever idiots, they also work in sets of three and only two of the three are switched on at any one time. So you can lane change as much as you like, but you don't know which cameras will see you.
There are cameras in use in Holland that will operate in series across all lanes and they will be introduced into the UK. Hopefully the introduction will be unannounced. Personally, I cannot see why people are concerned about cameras. Surely the trick is to drive within the speed limits.

BTW, M1 J6 to J10 re-opens tinight. Speed limit will be set back to 70 tomorrow morning.

Gerry


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## premiermotorhomes (Feb 13, 2008)

The Trafficmaster system and cameras only monitor live traffic information which is available via the TMC network allowing Satnav systems to alter their routes accordingly. These are commonly mistaken for speed cameras.

Please see: http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/speed-camera-types.htm

SPECS cameras (the yellow CCTV looking ones) are those that register your number plate at each SPECS location and work out an average speed.

Regards,
Chris
Premier Motorhomes of Chichester



spykal said:


> Hi
> 
> Some of the "cameras" will be the devices that read number plates of passing cars and then by reading them again further on, work out the average traffic speed on that stretch of the road or motorway.
> 
> ...


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

premiermotorhomes said:


> The Trafficmaster system and cameras only monitor live traffic information which is available via the TMC network allowing Satnav systems to alter their routes accordingly. These are commonly mistaken for speed cameras.


Hi

That is why I posted about them ... Trafficmaster do try to make their "cameras" look different if only to avoid vandalism but they are I guess often mistaken for "speed" cameras.

So for anyone interested ...what do they do. The following was lifted from UK Speedtraps Trafficmaster << where I think they have a good description of them ...with pictures :wink:

_Trafficmaster's PTFM technology uses special cameras to track traffic flow through points on the trunk road network, which often include roundabouts and traffic lights. These cameras read an electronic pattern enabling recognition of the central four digits of target vehicle number plates and the generation of an electronic 'tag'. 
Batches of vehicle tagging data are transmitted by radio link every 4 minutes to a computer at Trafficmaster's Milton Keynes control centre which matches up the 'sightings' of a sample quantity of vehicles. The company is then able to monitor accurately the average speed or journey time for every four mile 'link' across the country. This monitoring process is taking place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All data is encrypted._

Mike


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## premiermotorhomes (Feb 13, 2008)

As it read, I didn't think the distinction between the cameras was very clear which was why I thought it would be beneficial to post, perhaps I should hav provided some further text to clarify this was the reason for it.

"Some of the "cameras" will be the devices that read number plates of passing cars and then by reading them again further on, work out the average traffic speed on that stretch of the road or motorway.

They are part of the Trafficmaster system and the "cameras" can be seen on roadsides too...often in blue coloured enclosures. "

You could read the first paragraph as relating to SPECS, ie cameras reading number plates in more than one location and then working out an average speed. The second paragraph leading on to say this is part of the Trafficmaster system is where the confusion could start to lie and is how I read it, and perhaps others did.

All I wanted to do is clarify the differences between the cameras.

Sorry if this has created more confusion, it was not intended,


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## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

SpyKal has it right ref the TrafficMaster system. 

I work in a traffic monitoring control room with 52 city and M/way cams looking for holdups, breakdowns, debris, accidents etc etc. Not crime and survelliance, but we are often formally asked and provide by the police for recordings for that reason.

Another question( usually by taxi drivers) is why don't the traffic signals alter when you drive up to them and flash your headlights at the sensors perched on top. They won't 'cos they can't; they are counting vehicles based on the ANPR system, certainly in our patch.

I posted yesterday about lack of HS VMS signs not telling the motorist about an accident on the M3 for a good 15 minutes after we informed them. There are a lot of good systems around, but the speed, red light detectors and average speed stuff is not part of our jurisdiction.


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

premiermotorhomes said:


> All I wanted to do is clarify the differences between the cameras.
> Sorry if this has created more confusion, it was not intended,


Hi Chris

No confusion at all so not to worry, I think between us we have covered what the Trafficmasters do and what they look like...

I only had the details handy because they put up some of the pole mounted cameras on a nearby bit of the A46 and I wanted to know what they were, what they did and how they worked. At first I was worried that as they were using the number plates of cars to work out the average speeds then this data could be used or "misused" by government agencies but it seems that Trafficmaster only collect a part of the number plates so my worries were maybe unfounded. But you never know these days :roll:

Mike


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Thanks for all the Answers chaps


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

spykal said:


> Hi
> 
> Some of the "cameras" will be the devices that read number plates of passing cars and then by reading them again further on, work out the average traffic speed on that stretch of the road or motorway.
> 
> ...


This is mostly correct, but those on Motorways are belong to the Highways Agency, as part of the National Traffic Control system. You can see what they produce here http://www.trafficengland.com/TCC/ and on the Highways Agency's website here http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/traffic.aspx.

As Mike says, the cameras are NPR (numberplate recognition) cameras; they were set up originally to be used solely to monitor traffic speeds to feed back to the control centre - traffic slowing will identify that a problem is occurring, whether due to traffic volumes on an incident. The information is also available in the police traffic control centres. This is also used to inform the messages which are displayed on the roadside signs.

Unfortunately it seems that in some cases the systems are more advanced than the mere human beings who operate them, as the signs are not always accurate or up-to-date, but I think they are getting better.

I'm pretty sure that Trafficmaster are on all-purpose trunk roads, where the Highways Agency have some coverage , but they are not on Motorways at all.

The Highways Agency cameras are now also used, I believe, to pick up 'wanted' cars, but not, as far as I know to prosecute people for speeding, though they would certainly provide the necessary evidence, but who knows what the future may hold???


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