New London Speed Camera System Ready To Go

[RobBrady]

Following an agreement with the Metropolitan Police and local borough councils, and claimed as a 'UK first', a new average speed camera system will begin operating in East London tomorrow, 31st January.

The cameras, 84 in all, will replace existing fixed and mobile cameras along a stretch of the A13 between Canning Town and the Goresbrook Interchange. They will be spread out along 37 entrance and exit points of the route.

A large portion of the route has had its speed limit increased in preparation for the cameras from 40mph to 50mph, a speed thought more appropriate to the three lane dual carriageway design of the A13. The speed limit across the Lodge Avenue and Canning Town flyovers will remain the same.

Transport for London (TfL) says it's the first initiative in the UK where average speed cameras are installed on a major urban road and added that between 2007 and 2009 there were more than 400 collisions, 37 serious casualties and two fatalities. They hope that the new cameras will reduce accidents by around 30 per cent.

It's also hoped the cameras will cut congestion - TfL says that it takes up to seven hours for accidents along the stretch of A13 from Canning Town flyover to Goresbrook Interchange to be cleared, with the average time being around two hours per collision. This will hopefully mean less lengthy road closures during accident investigations.

PC Simon Wickenden of Chadwell Heath Traffic Management Unit, said: "Experience elsewhere has shown that average speed cameras increase road safety and at the same time better regulate traffic flow."
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Robert Brady

[DennisN]

Whilst I approve of average speed cameras as against single location cameras, I have to say I feel some scepticism as to the expectations for this set. Reduction of 30% looks like they'll still get 275 accidents, 25 serious injuries and 1 death. And anyway, just how serious was it over the period 2007 to 2009? That's a heck of a busy road, so it might be said that 400 accidents in that period isn't a huge number - is it 3 years? 2 accidents a week on a road like that (length, traffic flow) is easy. I hasten to add that I'm not intending to belittle accidents, as even one is a disaster to those involved. But the powers that be do tend to use statistics in a less than fully considered light.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Skippy]

[technik]

Cameras are just revenue providers, I think most people know that now.

The pratnerships that still run cameras in some areas have increased the thresholds before you get any points, so they can send you on a speed awareness course which earns them a percentage of the revenue.

If you just take the 3 points and £60 fine, all the money goes to the government. But if you do a speed awareness course which can be over £100, but no points on your licence, the police or councils get to keep a percentage of the revenue.
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GO 620, Tomtom Android EU,
Garmin 2548LMT-D; 2599LMT-D

[Rowan29a]

[BigPerk]

This business about the awareness courses ... yes they make money (it's even nice to know some ex-coppers are entrepreneurs ); BUT doesn't it make good sense to give speeders ONE opportunity to get the point ( ) - but is the tax payer or some charity supposed to pay for the costs of the course instead of the offender?

Can these cynics suggest some other realistic alternative to a straight 3 points + £60? And I'm not thinking of a total amnesty on camera busters:?
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David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[mjdj1689]

When you say new cameras do they look different to the average speed cameras now, how far will they be spaced out, with 84 wont that make a sat nav very noisey

How long in miles is this road, anyone got any photos of the section ?

[Andy_P]

[DennisN]

I was over that way last week and the ones I saw I didn't see until warned by the database (it was dark), because they were not on the usual visible batman poles that I'm used to seeing.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Guivre46]

I've read here that a Gatso costs £60,000 a year to maintain. Are Specs less costly? Otherwise they're going to need to raise a few bob to make it self-financing. If they are saying control of traffic flow is a consideration, they've left the door open to variable limits.
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Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

[GrahamWager]

[Klunk]

I drive this route every morning and while I dont like speed cameras I think this is a positive step. 40mph on this road is the most ridiculous speed limit ever. I am hopefull that this will ease congestion in the morning, at least it was better this morning than the last month has been, although the biggest congestion issue is a single set of traffic lights (between Goresbrook and Lodge Avenue) which causes a long tailback. I think the reduction of accidents will be because people will not be doing 60 or 70 and then slamming on the brakes going down to 30 because they have reached a camera.

The stretch of road covered is around 6 miles, each pole has 3 cameras on it and there are 5 or 6 slip roads covered by the stretch.

[dazzabird]

ive driven this road for more than ten years.

As said earlier the biggest problem westbound is the single set of lights at the "ship and shovel" that causes a lot of congestion.

However increasing the speed limit is a good idea.

Will try to post a few pics later

darren

[vicz]

So will those previously convicted by the 40mph cameras get their money back, so long as they were going under 50?

[M8TJT]

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