SPECS (speed camera)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SPECS cameras over motorway

SPECS is a speed camera system manufactured by the British company Speed Check Services Limited.

The cameras operate as two or more sets along a route. They work by recording a vehicles number plate at each fixed camera site, using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology. As the distance is known between these sites, the average speed can be calculated by dividing this by the time taken to travel between two points.

The Home Office has only approved the SPECS system for single lane use only. Technically therefore a motorist may switch lanes and claim non-approval to avoid prosecution for speeding. However, this would only work if the motorist knew which cameras were working, because switching for a non-active camera, then switching back would mean being back in the correct lane for the next active camera site.[1]

The cameras are often painted yellow and been given the nickname "yellow vultures".

Amongst other locations, SPECS are currently used on the following roads:

M1 (Junction 30-32 to enforce temporary 50mph speed limit until November 2007)
M5 (Junction 31-29 to enforce temporary 50mph speed limit)
A77 (Glasgow to Portpatrick)
A3211 (Lower Thames Street, London)
Tower Bridge (London)
A2 (Gravesend to Dartford area)
A43 (Northamptonshire)
A46 (Nottingham)
A52 (Nottingham)
A631 (Nottingham)
A610 (Nottingham)
A6514 (Nottingham)
A616 (Stocksbridge Bypass, South Yorkshire)
A38 (Gloucester) & (Cornwall, Saltash Tunnel)

The cameras are also due to be installed on the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge to enforce a permanent 60 mph speed limit which is due to be introduced[2] and on a section of the M60 motorway near to Bredbury to enforce a permanent 50 mph speed limit which is already in place[3].