By on October 9, 2008

After a series of trials, the British Home Office is set to approve the SPECS3 “distance over time speed measuring device.” SPECS3 uses an ISDN connection to transmit data between any two cameras in the entire road network, without the need for the expensive dedicated connection. The system can also track drivers as they change lanes and as they switch between different roads and highways. The Transport and Climate Change commission estimated that new cameras could monitor every driver on 31,136 miles of principal rural and urban roads for £443,687,656 ($769,693,415). Chicken feed. The commission noted that “enforcing the 70 MPH limit using SPECS would pay for itself within around two years.” (Between 2000 and 2005, a single camera in Nottinghamshire generated 76k tickets worth £4.2m/$7.2m). Once established nationwide, a central government Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) server will store records on all vehicle movements for five years. Work on the data center in north London began in 2005; officials expect real-time, nationwide tracking capability by January.  [click here for the full story from thenewspaper.com]

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21 Comments on “UK Speed Cameras to Monitor Every Stretch of Road...”


  • avatar
    kars

    i don’t understand why the british drivers put up with it – it is too much like a police state – haven’t they seen 1984?

  • avatar
    N85523

    The Transport and Climate Change Comission? Wow. What a combo. Egyptian cotton and toaster ovens, anyone?

  • avatar
    pariah

    UK government proposes speed camera network covering every A-road in the name of fighting global warming.

    What about the B-roads? I wonder if the GPS companies will see a boost in business as people desparately try to find alternate routes to avoid the A-roads.

  • avatar
    DearS

    That is some sad stuff. Its not my business I guess. Man is that horrible. Although I already worry a bit doing 70 on a 55 mph highway. Man they are scary though. It is so sad, and enraging personally.

  • avatar
    no_slushbox

    If the cowardly British citizens continue to allow this to happen people are going to have more freedom in the parts of Britain that become controlled by sharia law.

  • avatar
    Geo. Levecque

    Having just returned from the United Kingdom and noted that Cameras’s are everywhere, not just on Roads but all over the place, also had been given the wrong information on Parking for the Handicaped received a Ticket the first day we had our rental car, the fine was 120 pounds, half if paid within ten days, we fought it and got it squashed all together, I seem to think that the British citizens are quite aware of Cameras and accept same, not really the best for “Tourists” but I suspect citizens there accept it!

  • avatar
    onerareviper

    Wake up America, before it’s too late. This could be you.

  • avatar
    ande5000

    WTFO?!

  • avatar
    parimento1

    I would be bankrupt by now if they had these cameras in America : ). Who knows what’s next; hanging for failing to signal?

  • avatar
    Buckshot

    George Orwell is turning over in his grave.

  • avatar
    Buckshot

    N85523;
    It´s not odd.
    Transports produce climate changes.
    I wish that a lot more transports was made by train, instead of the those hordes of trucks that you see on the roads here.
    Lots of them are foreign trucks that uses cheaper diesel fuel, that leave a cloud of smoke.

  • avatar
    Ronman

    someone better come up with the intermitently flipping number plate. let there be 3 plates flipping, and you should be able to escape the cameras.
    hey James Bond’s Q has the answer, who ever thought that mi6 would give us the idea to beat the system. license to kill? hell.. license to evade delicensing, errrr. whatever.

  • avatar
    johnny ro

    GPS linked speed governers on all vehicles. Cant exceed speed limit.

    Program in trip, and blinkers would go on by themselves.

    It would be easy to program compliance into the vehicles.

  • avatar
    Detroit-Iron

    ‘The commission noted that “enforcing the 70 MPH limit using SPECS would pay for itself within around two years.”’

    Nice to see that the country that gave the world Adam Smith and JM Keynes is completely unfamiliar with the concepts of diminishing returns and rational expectations.

  • avatar
    Jim K

    Wow, UK is becoming more of a police state step by step. It is a shame, I love it there, and the people are great.

    They are using the cause of climate change and global warming as a smokescreen so they can monitor every movement of the citizens (subjects) lives as the ultimate Nanny state.

    It amazes me that people still drink the coolaid of man induced global warming.

    If we are not careful we will see the same thing happen in the US.

  • avatar
    auger

    No_slushbox, Go stick your head up your arse, I am British and proud of it and I am in no way cowardly and neither are the rest of my countrymen.

  • avatar
    Detroit-Iron

    Good comeback auger. Your scintillating wit has elucidated for the former colonials why the UK is now the most monitored country in the world. The camera never shuts on the British Empire, eh?

  • avatar
    auger

    Detroit-Iron no offense buddy just dont like having my countrymen insulted, same as you wouldnt. As to being the most monitored look again good buddy . We just dont hide them here :-)

  • avatar
    Detroit-Iron

    Touche. Though the black plastic orbs on the street corners in Baltimore aren’t exactly inconspicuous.

  • avatar
    auger

    lol,Just stick to minor roads, have no bank account or credit cards best option move to the middle of Mojave and live under ground. Sad fact of life big brother is out there and watching, and there is nothing any of us can do except vote the current political idiots out, much like you are doing at the moment.

  • avatar
    GS650G

    They are getting the government they voted for and reelected. Sad truth is this will make it’s way to Europe proper then the US. 5 million a camera is too much to resist for strapped munis that are hit by falling property tax revenue, lower gross reciept taxes, loss of income tax revenue, and business moving overseas.

    Best part of all is the unsuspecting visitors that don’t know where they hide the cameras. Nothing tastes as good as revenue from out of state drivers.

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