5 different types of traffic cameras and how to spot them
More than 8,000 safety cameras are currently monitoring British drivers, estimates show, and despite being highly contentious they have become an integral part of policing our roads.
Cameras have been used by police and local authorities for more than 30 years to help control how we drive, under the threat of fines and driving points.[1]
With our driving habits being scrutinised more than ever before by a range of photographic equipment it's important to understand what these devices are capable of and where they may be used. Advertisement Advertisement
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From traditional speed cameras to the latest AI recording equipment, Yahoo News outlines the type of cameras you may see while driving on British roads.
Speed cameras
In 1992, the UK entered a new era in traffic enforcement when the first speed camera, or safety camera, was installed on the A316 over Twickenham Bridge, London.
Current estimates say there are now more than 8,000 of these cameras up and down the country controlled by local councils and police, who have the power to mete out fines and penalty points to speeding motorists.[2]
The cameras work by recording a vehicle's speed using markings on the road or radar technology to identify a specific vehicle and record its speed, digitally or on film. Advertisement
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They take two digital images, then work out how long it has taken the vehicle to travel between the two points on the road.
The images record the vehicle's registration, time and date of the offence, and sometimes include the face of the driver and the front passenger.
A Gatso speed camera on A40, Oxfordshire. (Getty Images)
The Gatso camera, which looks like a large yellow or grey box, was the first speed camera to be installed in the UK and has become the most commonly used.
Also operational in the UK are Truvelo speed cameras, which are forward-facing, high-tech cameras that typically capture a photo of the front of a vehicle to identify the driver.
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Mostly painted yellow, the cameras use sensors in the road, or a laser, to measure a driver's speed with an invisible infrared flash that takes a picture of the speeding vehicle.
HADECS (Highways Agency Digital Enforcement Camera System) cameras are radar-based speed cameras used on smart motorways with variable speed limits.
Often they are designed to enforce speed limits that can change in real-time, and can be difficult to spot because they are small and grey in colour.
It's worth noting that although all speed cameras on our road network should be painted yellow, this is not a legal requirement.
Average speed cameras
Average speed cameras were first introduced to the UK in 1999, with the RAC saying that they are becoming "more common" on British roads. Advertisement Advertisement
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They work by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology [3]to record a vehicle's speed between two points on a road, enabling the camera to calculate a vehicle's average speed over distances up to 20km.
The cameras, sometimes called SPECS speed cameras, don't capture your speed in a single flash at one point, meaning slowing down at either end will not fool the cameras into recording a slower speed.
The cameras are painted yellow and tend to be fixed higher than other speed cameras, they can work even when you switch lanes, and are often found around roadworks or on busy stretches of motorway.
Average speed cameras record a vehicle's speed at two points spaced by up to 20km. (Getty Images)
AI road cameras
AI cameras were first introduced in May 2023, with the world's first AI speed camera installed on the A23 in Lambeth, South London. Advertisement
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These roadside devices can not only determine whether a driver is breaking the speed limit but can also identify drivers using mobile phones or if anyone in the vehicle is not wearing their seatbelt.
Also known as the Acusensus Heads-Up System, the AI uses multiple cameras to record footage[4], which can be processed to give police a full picture of the passengers and interior of a vehicle.
The AI cameras are mounted on a large T-shaped stand and secured with a brightly coloured base.
The technology is still being trialled and rolled out across the country, with at least five police constabularies currently having AI cameras in place.
An AI safety camera monitors and records traffic on Mancunian Way in Manchester, England. (Getty Images)
ULEZ cameras
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced in London in April 2019, with the goal of improving air quality in central London.
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Since then, the zone has been widened, most recently in 2023, to the Greater London area, and with the larger territory Transport for London (TfL) had to install thousands of more cameras in the capital.
There are now more than 3,700 ULEZ cameras across the London-wide zone that are also used for the Low Emission Zone and the Congestion Charge.
Using APNR technology, the cameras read vehicle number plates, checking them against a database to determine whether the vehicle meets ULEZ emission standards, and handing out fines if the vehicle doesn't comply.
A Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) camera in London. (Getty Images)
Mobile police cameras
Police forces often use mobile police cameras on fast or busy stretches of road, mainly to catch speeding drivers. Advertisement
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They could be hand-held by a police officer or mounted in marked vans, and can be operational at any location at any time.
They are often deployed when the police think drivers are repeatedly breaking the law and can be part of local road safety campaigns.
A mobile speed camera operated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). (PA Images via Getty Images)
References
- ^ control how we drive, under the threat of fines and driving points. (uk.news.yahoo.com)
- ^ mete out fines and penalty points to speeding motorists. (uk.news.yahoo.com)
- ^ They work by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology (uk.news.yahoo.com)
- ^ AI uses multiple cameras to record footage (uk.news.yahoo.com)