Revealed: Scotland's highest earning speed camera sites

[lkc]

Not that many of us ever believed speed camera's were anything other than revenue-generating devices but here is the proof

Details emerged in figures released by Police Scotland for the financial year 2012/2013, which revealed the growing use of mobile speed cameras to catch motorists who stray over the speed limit.Police Scotland statistics showed the cameras raised £2.75 million in fines during 2012/13. This compares with the £1.5m generated from traditional fixed cameras.

And looking at the top 5 is even more revealing

The cameras are often placed at the rear of police vans parked on overhead bridges.
The most lucrative camera site, situated by the Allan Water north of Dunblane, caught 4,217 drivers in the last financial year, raising £253,020 in fines.
It represents an average of 11 tickets per day for the period.
An average speed camera system could be introduced on the A9 from Dunblane to Inverness later this year if plans are given the green light.
The next most-ticketed spot for mobile cameras was the A74(M) northbound at junction 13, by Abington, where 3163 drivers were caught speeding, paying £189,780.
The same motorway, 4.5 miles north of Gretna Green, had the third most-ticketed site with 2622 offences and £157,320 in fines.
Fourth place went to the A956 North Esplanade in Aberdeen where 2027 drivers were caught at a cost to them of £121,620.
The fifth most-ticketed spot is also on the A74(M), near Lockerbie, where 1196 drivers were caught, paying £71,760.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport/revealed-scotlands-highest-earning-speed-camera-sites.23198217

I can't comment on the number 1 slot as I don't know the road but I used to regularly drive the A74(M) and it always struck me as a relatively empty road and I don't remember that many accidents on it either. How they can even justify the mobile cameras as anything other than revenue raising is beyond me.

IMO the mobile camera's should be in areas where there are genuine accidents or the risk of accidents. The next road to mine would be ideal as the morning commuters put their foot down hard on the accelerator as soon as they turn into it despite it being a residential street. A mobile camera there may make some of them think twice in future but I can't see it happening

 

[M21MFS]

North esplanade is a joke.

Dual carriageway, pedestrian crossings and safety railings. Its better prepped to be a 40 zone than most bits of Anderson Drive but yet its a 30?

 

[clock34]

speed camera proceeds go directly to central goverment. police dont get a penny out of them so there more of a PITA for them, takes up time and resources for no return..

so no help to the police, however more people who are speeding are caught is better IMO. i do regularly but its not safe and would think its better if no one did

 

[M21MFS]

Id rather they sat near school runs and caught the chelsea tractors that ignore the 20mph limits when patrol crossings are in operation etc.

 

[lkc]

speed camera proceeds go directly to central goverment. police dont get a penny out of them so there more of a PITA for them, takes up time and resources for no return..

Does it really matter who gets the money? Especially as the police are a public service where revenue generated might stop cuts anyway

The fact is the speed cameras are a money raising scheme and not a safety issue. Move them to genuine sites where lives have been lost and chances are they'll only register 1-2 fines per week rather than 11 a day but hey, that's not going to be cost-effective

so no help to the police, however more people who are speeding are caught is better IMO. i do regularly but its not safe and would think its better if no one did

I suspect we all speed now and then but I'd like to think we judge the conditions and only speed when there's no danger to anyone else. Unfortunately that's where the cameras are most likely to be found

 

[clock34]

true, there not needed at all tbh.

cumbria only has seven cameras and its one of englands biggest counties... and they are in pairs at three sites (pointing each way) and one on its own. police there dont use/need them as they find them not cost effective use of police time/money.

 

[lkc]

Hang on... You're not arguing with me?

Who are you and what have you done with Clock?

 

[GPz750]

Talking speed camera. How the hell do the gray box ones in the country know when a truck/artic or car drive through as truckers slow down to 50 but I don't think there is a need.

 

[msb89]

As far as i am aware, there is no need, but i have seen plenty hgv slowing..

Me personally, i drive psv and our limits are slightly higher, so not as much affected..

If on a dual carriageway for example, the cameras will be set to about 75mph ish to give folk leeway. Lorries limits on dual is 50mph, coaches 60mph and cars 70.
So if, in theory, the lorries are doing their top legal limit of 56mph, although they are technically speeding, the camera should not go off... Coaches, top legal limit is 62mph (100kph) so the 2mph over makes no difference at all..

Single carriageway is much in the same, but lower limits, lorries 40mph, coaches 50, cars 60, but any cameras will be set at 60mph so in theory lorries still doing 56mph, and coaches 62mph should still be fine.

what you have to watch out for is PC Plod in the back of his van hiding round the corners with the camera stuck out the back, and the undercover ones, who will get ya. Plus, there's no ""oh, your speed gun must be uncollaborated / broken"" as they will just look at your tacho...

 

[GPz750]

Someone was saying a laser is shot out at 11 feet and if triggered then its a truck but I doubt that as cars with trailers or caravans would go undetected.

 

[msb89]

Funny you should say that, this very topic came up on an online coach drivers forum im on, and apparently there is a camera in Perthshire somewhere which CAN detect the difference between vehicles, therefore still catch you, as some drivers had been caught. However, i dont think the others are, or i have been extremely lucky so far...

 

[scoop_987]

Talking speed camera. How the hell do the gray box ones in the country know when a truck/artic or car drive through as truckers slow down to 50 but I don't think there is a need.

Some of those fixed camera's are bastards, they can catch a HGV as it either looks up the reg then takes the picture or are height sensitive. Not sure which but have talked to plenty of drivers that have been caught.

 

[Andi9386]

Mike what about Average Speed cameras on a Dual Carrigeway? where the speed limit is set at 50MPH?

And say your doing just over the 50MPH speed limit in a car & a Marked Police Car Overtakes you NOT on Blue Lights, how does that work out? Steve??

 

[Stuart]

Some of those fixed camera's are bastards, they can catch a HGV as it either looks up the reg then takes the picture or are height sensitive. Not sure which but have talked to plenty of drivers that have been caught.

They read the number plates

 

[saw]

that one on the A90 just going in to the broch got me in a HGV (40 mph single carriageway)

 

[clock34]

Mike what about Average Speed cameras on a Dual Carrigeway? where the speed limit is set at 50MPH?

And say your doing just over the 50MPH speed limit in a car & a Marked Police Car Overtakes you NOT on Blue Lights, how does that work out? Steve??

tbh andi i couldnt say. it completely depends on the circumstance. there are some instances in law when it is thought to be a need to arrive quicker at the destination but not applicable for blues. sounds mad but there are a few.

i can only ever relate to cumbria where i served. but there you could see blue's coming a mile or two away at the least. so it was obvious you were coming, in a case where the person or persons are/may still be on scene stealth i s a better option swapping only to blues when you need to be there ASAP.

i beleive they are also allowed to do 10mph???? over the posted limit anyways without blues. due to there excuse of a advanced driving and higher level of awareness...



(law in ENGLAND)
Section 87 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 says:No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when it is being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes, if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion.

as we did, aslong as its logged as to the reason you were speeding blues are actually not needed/not mentioned in law.

the lights are only there for obstructions to tell people basicly to move. if there is no obstruction you dont even need them on.

last point... if a car is thought to be doing say 85mph on the motorway just ahead. (anpr) then you wouldnt knock the blues on as they would have slowed before you caught them, therefore hindering your effectivness.

remember police are held to high standards and the entire time its up to them to read the road to check for safety, if at any point they were involved in a rtc or other incident it would be completely and soley their duty to take whatever penalty is needeed