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Dummy speed cameras on M6?

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chrisw
chrisw Posts: 3,781 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
Travelling between Manchester and Birmingham recently, the M6 has these speed signs down most of its length. 

However, Waze only flags up about 1 in 4 as speed cameras and on looking closer, those 1 in 4 or so have a couple of yellow cameras bolted to the frame. Many drivers seem to realise this and only slow down for those particular ones.

There is a new stretch of smart M6 going northbound from Warrington currently permanently displaying 50mph. However, as many signs don't have actual cameras attached, most of the traffic is doing 50, while others who have cottoned on to the fake signs are doing 70+. This speed differential is pretty dangerous.

Is it just a money saving exercise to make drivers think there are more cameras than there are?


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  • Sarahspangles
    Sarahspangles Posts: 3,238 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 15 November 2024 at 10:18AM
    The signs are permanent, the cameras rotate site. They may also be supplemented by mobile units.
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  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 13,509 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Unless you are part of the operational team for the cameras you will never know where there are and aren't cameras and when they are operational.  Assume they are always on unless you are happy to deal with the consequences of ignoring the posted limit.
  • chrisw
    chrisw Posts: 3,781 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Here's one of the few that actually has a camera attached - the yellow box on the left. They appear to be reflective so show up even more at night.


  • Car_54
    Car_54 Posts: 8,832 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 15 November 2024 at 11:29AM
    chrisw said:
    Travelling between Manchester and Birmingham recently, the M6 has these speed signs down most of its length. 

    However, Waze only flags up about 1 in 4 as speed cameras and on looking closer, those 1 in 4 or so have a couple of yellow cameras bolted to the frame. Many drivers seem to realise this and only slow down for those particular ones.

    There is a new stretch of smart M6 going northbound from Warrington currently permanently displaying 50mph. However, as many signs don't have actual cameras attached, most of the traffic is doing 50, while others who have cottoned on to the fake signs are doing 70+. This speed differential is pretty dangerous.

    Is it just a money saving exercise to make drivers think there are more cameras than there are?


    The signs simply inform you that there may be speed cameras ahead. They don't mean or imply that there's a camera at that exact spot.

    There many signs with no cameras attached, and indeed cameras with no signs.

    BTW how would this be money-saving?
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 20,298 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Car_54 said:
    The signs simply inform you that there may be speed cameras ahead. They don't mean or imply that there's a camera at that exact spot.


    York & N Yorks used have loads of them signs. Yet was well know for not having a single speed camera.

    Just like the boy crying wolf 🤣
    Life in the slow lane
  • Aren't those little yellow cameras SPECS ones?  Essentially ANPR.

    In that case they don't need to be on every gantry because they're just timing to see how long it's taking you to drive to the next camera a mile or so down the road, not measuring the speed at that point.
  • chrisw said:
    There is a new stretch of smart M6 going northbound from Warrington currently permanently displaying 50mph. However, as many signs don't have actual cameras attached, most of the traffic is doing 50, while others who have cottoned on to the fake signs are doing 70+. This speed differential is pretty dangerous.
    Yes, it is. That particular stretch from Warrington to J26 at Orrell has 50mph limit due to it being a newly opened smart motorway. I’m not convinced there are any working cameras currently in place, but don’t know for sure and aren’t in any particular hurry to find out for definite…
  • Send an FOI to the relevant local authority.
  • user1977
    user1977 Posts: 17,728 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 18 November 2024 at 8:47PM
    Send an FOI to the relevant local authority.
    It’s a motorway, nothing to do with local authorities. Highways England.
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