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M11 Speed Camera Increases Accidents and Raises £500k/Year


Article by: maft
Date: 16 Nov 2009

pocketgpsworld.comThanks to PistonHeads for the initial story.

Some people call them Safety Cameras, others call them Speed Cameras. Today's news is one of the reasons for the latter!

Under the Freedom of Information Act (and with intervention from the Information Commissioner) Essex Police have shown that a camera on the M11 (Gatso 4785 in our database) brings in around £500,000 per year and that crashes have almost doubled! This is clearly one example where 'safety' is not paramount. The camera is placed on the southbound carriageway between junctions 4 and 5 where the speed drops from 70mph down to 50mph - obviously causing people to break suddenly.

Comments
Posted by BigPerk on Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:22 pm Reply with quote

Interesting - I've found that stretch a bit treacherous as well. IIRC the camera is quite close to the 50mph sign and, as pointed out, quite near also to where the 3 lanes go down to 2. It's true I think as suggested in a comment on the article that initial speeds would probably be nearer 75-80 in practice. A fairly straightforward recipe for increased accidents?

I would assume that it's the lanes reduction that's the hazard 'justifying' the camera (probably rightly so, actually), and raking in the cash. What isn't right is the siting - if they had thought properly about safety, or perhaps not given revenue a higher priority, they would surely put the limit sign and the camera further away from the narrowing point, and possibly even step the limit down to 60 first.


David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

 
Posted by pendlemac on Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:32 pm Reply with quote

So how many of those that caused the shunts were done for driving without due care and attention?

Has any one done a similar survey on that clockwise section of the M60 at J25 where the limit drops straight to 50 and is enforced with SPECS?


 
Posted by DGJones10 on Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:26 am Reply with quote

I made my contribution to the funds a few years ago.

I drive generally within the rules and keep an eye open for limit signs and of course cameras.

I was clocked at 76mph at this camera one summer evening in daylight, which was the average speed of the flow of traffic.

Being so much over the limit I was automatically proescuted.

I am sure that at that time there was no sign on the central reservation, as I saw no sign, as I was clocked in the middle lane overtaking lorries, which presumably screened the sign on the left.

When there has been reductions in the limit it was usual in Essex to have advanced warning as on the many roadworks we experience.

I was joined at Harlow Magistrates court with a large group of law abiding citizens. Middle aged generally, housewives etc and a young air hostess returning from stansted.

I was fined £200 pounds and had the inevitable points applied, which of course increased the cost of my insurance for a few years.


 
Posted by jonrome on Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:37 pm Reply with quote

If there has to be a camera here, it would be the ideal place for variable speedlimits. In the morning rush the traffic rarely reaches 50 mph. At 4 a.m. on a sunday morning when the is no other traffic at all, to be forced to travel at 50 mph is lunacy unless they're expecting a cyclist or a child on the motorway.
It is also badly sighted as it flashes in the eyes of drivers on the other carriageway. I remember late one night back when there were still terrorist bobms exploding, it flashed in my face & it took several miutes for my heart rate to drop to normal. A potential accident in my view.


 
Posted by keefieh on Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:31 pm Reply with quote

I wonder how MONITRON:54721@50, a camera monitoring eastbound traffic on the A40 in Northolt, compares? It's shortly after a 70 to 50 MPH drop in speed limit and there are usually 'fresh' skid marks when I drive past.

Is it easy to get the revenue/crash figures?

K.


 
Posted by DennisN on Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:22 am Reply with quote

News Team Wrote:
causing people to break suddenly.

Good literal report. Clap


Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

 
Posted by MaFt on Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:50 am Reply with quote

DennisN Wrote:
News Team Wrote:
causing people to break suddenly.

Good literal report. Clap

took you 4 days to spot it though! Razz


 
Posted by MaFt on Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:59 am Reply with quote

is there a count down for the speed limit change? i.e. a greyed out 50 sign with the count-down bars or even '800yds ahead'?

coupled with a speed camera sign then that would probably be a cheap option to actually warn people to slow down in advance!

at the bottom of the m606 in bradford (one of britains most pathetic motorways) it drops to 50mph for going around a relatively sharp bend towards manchester (m62). the limit drops a good 800yards before the junction and gatso camera and has plenty of warnings for both the lower speed and the gatso. it works as people gradually slow down before the camera rather than having the speed limit change THEN suddenly get the camera. ok, people are still speeding but there isn't the sudden dangerous braking as you see the camera as you've had plenty of warning.

MaFt


 
Posted by BigPerk on Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:18 pm Reply with quote

Funnily enough, I was just wondering this morning whether I had seen preliminary warning signs on that stretch. As MaFt says it's the obvious, cheap solution, which I'm sure would solve most problems (apart from the Government's national debt that is Rolling Eyes Confused ).


David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

 
Posted by TVR_nut on Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:30 pm Reply with quote

MaFt Wrote:
is there a count down for the speed limit change? i.e. a greyed out 50 sign with the count-down bars or even '800yds ahead'?

coupled with a speed camera sign then that would probably be a cheap option to actually warn people to slow down in advance!

at the bottom of the m606 in bradford (one of britains most pathetic motorways) it drops to 50mph for going around a relatively sharp bend towards manchester (m62). the limit drops a good 800yards before the junction and gatso camera and has plenty of warnings for both the lower speed and the gatso. it works as people gradually slow down before the camera rather than having the speed limit change THEN suddenly get the camera. ok, people are still speeding but there isn't the sudden dangerous braking as you see the camera as you've had plenty of warning.

MaFt


I regularly drove that section of motorway before the camera went in, and you can get around the bend at well over 50mph in safety (and in those days, without a NIP)!!! Twisted Evil

Happy days.

N.


 
Posted by DennisN on Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:58 pm Reply with quote

MaFt Wrote:
DennisN Wrote:
News Team Wrote:
causing people to break suddenly.

Good literal report. Clap

took you 4 days to spot it though! Razz

Nuts! - I didn't even know of this thread until I came here from the link on the Newsletter, which I didn't see until this morning. So Nah, nah, na naaaaah nah! Mr. Green


Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

 
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