Average Speed
We all, no doubt, welcome the conclusion of the works on the M1 Motorway. It took approaching 3 years to complete the work, and in the circumstances the length of time it took to finish was very rapid - if you compare it to the, ongoing, works on the Airport Approach Road.
One of the features of the works on the M1, apart from the traffic and disruption, was the presence of the Average Speed cameras. These cameras work on the principle of the ‘clock’ starting when a vehicle passes the first camera, with the ‘clock’ stopping when the next camera is passed. The time and distance is then used to calculate the average speed between the respective points. This in turn will indicate whether the speed limit has been exceeded. If it has, and depending on the speed, a summons could be the eventually result.
This type of device can only be currently used when Road works are in progress. Works on the M1 and M25 have had these cameras for some time. It is also interesting to note that the cameras are expensive to run as a result of the technology involved.
Unfortunately the Average Speed Camera is here to stay and approval is about to be given for the roll out of them. They will no longer just be used to monitor the speed on sections of the Road network where work is being carried out.
The balance for the authorities is to control the behaviour of the errant driver, with the hoped for aim of increasing Road Safety.
The following factor may call into question the stated balance. The Company who own and operate these devices have been given the ability to share in the cost of running them. Due to the expense of them this could be considered sensible. But, the quid pro quo for assisting in the cost of running them is that they can also share in the revenue that will generate. Any private company would expect a return on investment and this joint venture will be no different.
If fee-sharing agreements were entered into, it would fundamentally question the legitimacy of the operation of these types of devices. The charge that it is a revenue raising measure would be a real one and would be a hard argument to defeat. It would appear that if this were to be rolled out the stated aim of Road Safety would be a secondary consideration.