M25 smart cameras working?

InsideInsurance

Was on the M25 going anticlockwise from around J16 to J10 at the weekend.

From what I've always read the speed cameras linked to the variable speed limits etc aren't operational on this stretch. Initially due to a legal issue and subsequently some operational one

I do this route fairly often and never seen them flash but at the weekend I was in slowish moving traffic and saw a flash situated between two of the cameras on the gantry go off at least 30 times, almost every time a car passed it.

Are these cameras now live? Are they just doing some testing?

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

I would never rely on the cameras not working as it can always be tomorrow that they fix the problem or decide to implement them.

Even if they are not issuing tickets, they will probably have quite a useful effect on calming speeds. The M25 these days is such a different experience from even 5 years ago, I feel far more comfortable and the big concertina stop starts have all but vanished.

InsideInsurance

Wasnt suggesting people should change their driving style just because of speed cameras, was just curious if they had changed given all the flashes.

Would appear they are now operational http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/m25-speed-cameras-surrey-now-8526615

benjus

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Wasnt suggesting people should change their driving style just because of speed cameras, was just curious if they had changed given all the flashes.

Would appear they are now operational http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/m25-speed-cameras-surrey-now-8526615

That article seems to say that they have been in use for years for reduced speed limits, but the change is to use them to enforce the standard 70mph limit.

Nearly_Old

There is a lot of misinformation in respect of the cameras on managed motorways and the Highways Agency/police do not seem to mind if it keeps speeds down. The cameras mounted on the gantries over the lanes can record any speed, however they are only authorised for the enforcement of a reduced speed when the signs are illuminated. Therefore they cannot, at the moment be used to enforce the 70mph NSL.

The M25, and other managed motorways are being fitted with the new HADEC3 cameras in addition to the lane cameras. These are usually mounted on the nearside gantry leg, and are painted grey so they can just look like part of the gantry. These are authorised to enforce the 70mph NSL and one camera can cover up to 5 lanes.

InsideInsurance

Nearly_Old wrote: »

There is a lot of misinformation in respect of the cameras on managed motorways and the Highways Agency/police do not seem to mind if it keeps speeds down. The cameras mounted on the gantries over the lanes can record any speed, however they are only authorised for the enforcement of a reduced speed when the signs are illuminated. Therefore they cannot, at the moment be used to enforce the 70mph NSL.

This was definitely on the gantry itself though the light that was flashing was between two of the camera boxes. Same as http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn280/sdm197/M25%20New%20Cameras/IMG_0667.jpg

Dont know if the otherside were on a reduced speed limit, certainly the traffic at that point was free flowing but there was a 50mph limit a few miles up the road from them so guess they may have had a preventative limit.

Just was surprised to seeing it going crazy flashing having done that route almost once a week for over three years and having never seen a single flash before.

DTDfanBoy

They might have just bumped down the speed limit on that gantry and caught people unaware.

I think they have to wait a couple of minutes before they can start enforcing the lower limit via the cameras, but that may not mean that the camera flash doesn't operate during that period.

Like NearlyvOld says those cameras can't enforce the NSL only the reduced speed limits, but you do need to be aware of the new cameras that are mounted on the side of some of the gantries, they can and do enforce the NSL.

They are difficult to spot but there are a couple on the M25 from Sevenoaks down to the turn off for Gatwick, thankfully they haven't caught me yet.

Iceweasel

I'm not so sure they are not operational yet.

It's so damn vague and full of rumour.

The most recent mention of them is here as far as I can see:

http://www.courier.co.uk/Stealth-speed-cameras-set-M20-M23-roll-outs/story-25961370-detail/story.html

There doesn't seem to be any official info at all.

Has anyone found anything more specific?