SPECS3 average speed cameras launched Motorcyclists beware

MikeB

Last month saw the launch of the latest Average Speed Camera system at Traffex 2009 in Birmingham, UK. This system is called SPECS3 and is a (huge) upgrade to the current Average Speed Cameras SPECS1. Speed cameras have evolved: First we had the single Gatso lying in wait to capture the errant driver, then the speed cameras stalked in pairs to catch your average speed, now with SPECS3 they hunt in packs over an entire area...

These systems can be installed as both front facing or rear-facing cameras. Motorcyclists beware: you are no longer immune to capture.

This article explains what SPECS3 is contrasting it to the Current SPECS1, and we also have a video of the SPECS3 presentation made by SCS Marketing Director Geoff Collins explaining the average speed camera systems.

The current SPECS1 system can only measure your average speed across a measured stretch of road. It has one entry camera and one exit camera. Using an established ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Reader) system a car entering the monitored stretch of road has it's number plate read and an entry time recorded. When the car goes through the exit speed camera site it's plate and time are recorded. The backend system can then calculate the time between the two points, and then as the distance is a precise measurement the average speed of the car can be determined. If it is over the speed threshold for that section then a ticket will be issued.

There are a number of drawbacks to this system. The first of which is that they need to be directly connected to each other, this may not be a problem for a modern road equipped with fibre-optic cabling, but means laying expensive cables where there are no current facilities. There is also a problem in that the cameras are forward facing so unlike the Gatsos will only capture number plates of cars and lorries. With SPECS1 motorcyclists are immune from prosecution as the system simply cannot identify them.

So the new SPECS3 system addresses these points and offers a significant enhancement to the functionality allowing more offences to be captured. The main difference is that speed cameras have evolved: First we had the single Gatso lying in wait to capture the errant driver, then the speed cameras stalked in pairs to catch your average speed, now with SPECS3 they hunt in packs over an entire area... The way this works is similar to the London Congestion Charge zone. All entry and exit points to a particular area will have a camera installed. These connect to the back-office enforcement system in a number of ways depending on the installation, including WiFi, ADSL, Fibre-optic, and even GPRS using cellular technology.

The concept is that these will be installed in areas where speed enforcement is considered essential. This could be on a housing estate, through a town centre, or in some of the new 20 MPH areas being introduced around schools. This is detailed in the graphic below:

The SPECS3 average speed camera system is currently going through Home Office Type Approval and with a number of systems on order we should see them being installed in the near future.

The SPECS3 system was launched at a conference hosted by Steven Norris (former Minister for Transport) at Traffex 2009 in Birmingham last month. Click here to watch a video of the presentation by SCS Marketing Director Geoff Collins explaining the average speed camera systems.
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Mike Barrett

MikeB · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 6:50 pm Post subject:

I forgot to mention that the video is 17 minutes long...
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Mike Barrett

Matt865 · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2006 Posts: 92

Should we just hand the keys to The Royal Mint to SCS and allow them to literally print money?

Darren · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 7:51 pm Post subject:

I'm sure they'd love the cash but they get paid the hardware only, not the fines!
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Darren Griffin

Matt865 · Regular Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2006 Posts: 92

True, but the more money the government raises through fines, the more cameras they'll buy to expand coverage and further increase revenue. I wouldn't be surprised if within the next 20 years our entire motorway and major A-road networks will be controlled with these.

It's a wonder they trust us to drive our own cars at all.

MaFt · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject:

DennisN · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject:

MikeB · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:19 pm Post subject:

MikeB · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject:

MikeB · Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject:

JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 12:47 am Post subject:

gem · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject:

[quote="JockTamsonsBairn"]

JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 11:52 pm Post subject:

Consultant · Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 7:30 am Post subject:

I reckon this will see a new wave of number plate cloning, etc. once it becomes more wide spread, I wonder how they plan to combat that?

mole999 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 16, 2006 Posts: 1

Government and local authorities are never going to publicly state the fine is useful. Their stated aim is to reduce serious road injuries and deaths. I don't have current figures, but a serious injury would invoke damage to vehicle, emergency service attendance, recovery and storage, prosecution, insurance claims, hospital admission, operations, extended ward stays and years of physio, inability to work, mental anguish to all families directly and indirectly involved and state income support, to identify a few. To reduce by one incident, the system automatically goes into profit. Do I like the blessed thing, no I don't, I just understand why they are there

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