M25 Speed cameras

[thebook]

Does anyone know if the speed cameras on the M25 near Heathrow - M3 are active when there are no variable limits in force?

I have heard a rumour they are only live when restrictions are in place. I was flashed this weekend by a camera but the lanes were clear from restricted speed limits ie National Limit in force and I don't know whether I should expect an endorsement.

Thanks in advance.

PS, damn that silky smooth 350 engine...

 

[Howard]

Think they only come on when restrictions are in place ...

I know someone who's been through them well in excess of the NSL before and never got flashed.

 

[Gridlock]

My detector goes mental on about 10% of the gantries that have the calibration road markings under - have always wondered whether they work or not.

The M1 has some now too

 

[thebook]

Think they only come on when restrictions are in place ...

I know someone who's been through them well in excess of the NSL before and never got flashed.

Thanks Howard, I thought they were inactive when NSL was in place but the fact it did flash has me worried... I guess I will find out for sure in a couple of weeks.

 

[Satch]

The restrictions that get flagged up sometime are utterly insane.

Before Christmas 2.00am Sunday morning near M4/Heathrow supposed to be somebody working in road (none that we could see) so inner lanes had 20mph flagged up, middle lanes 40 mph and outer lanes 60mph.

Net result total and utter confusion. Dangerous and chaotic scenes at junctions even though there was next to no traffic. WTF?

 

[Spin_bowler]

I'm sure I read somwhere (maybe even on here) that they are set to go off at >79MPH when no restriction in place

 

[flango]

A friend of mine does the programming for these and SPECS, the ones on the variable speed limits on both the M25 and M42 are always active even when restrictions are not in place. The Threshold limit is 81 mph under unrestricted conditions. At 60 mph limit Threshold is 67 mph, 50 mph limit = 56 mph, 40 mph limit = 45 mph.

 

[thebook]

A friend of mine does the programming for these and SPECS, the ones on the variable speed limits on both the M25 and M42 are always active even when restrictions are not in place. The Threshold limit is 81 mph under unrestricted conditions. At 60 mph limit Threshold is 67 mph, 50 mph limit = 56 mph, 40 mph limit = 45 mph.

oops, in that case I am in trouble.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Howard]

Hmmmmm ....

My friend hasn't had a ticket so far ..... and he's been through them much quicker than that. ( unrestricted conditions ) , although no recently , is it a recent thing ?

I'll tell him to be more careful in future ....

 

[AdamG]

Hi,

I got flashed (double flash) on the M25 near the M3 junction heading East when there were no speed restrictions in place. That was 3 months ago and I have had no ticket yet. Yesterday I saw a Mercedes ML getting flashed in the same place same circumstances.
I'm not sure what speed triggers them but I heard it is now 79mph. It apparently used to be 95mph.

Cheers

Adam

 

[Spin_bowler]

Hmmmmm ....

My friend hasn't had a ticket so far ..... and he's been through them much quicker than that. ( unrestricted conditions ) , although no recently , is it a recent thing ?

I'll tell him to be more careful in future ....

I've just had a quick google and the topic seemed to be current in early 2008, I am sure that I remember something about it in Autocar, could have been around that time. So it depends how long ago it was I guess.

 

[moonloops]

Been through those M25 cameras several times at warp speed and not got a ticket.. whoever has done that SPECS programming needs firing

 

[stevieb15]

I remember reading when they came in that they would only be "live" when restrictions are in place, I think that was in the mid 90's however, given we now have the things sprinkled seemingly indiscriminately across the country I can't work out why they would ever be turned off.
Personally I always assume they are working, whether on the M25 or M42.

 

[flango]

Been through those M25 cameras several times at warp speed and not got a ticket.. whoever has done that SPECS programming needs firing

Must have been when they were first installed if you are talking about the SPECS in the roadworks, you certainly would not drive through them now at warp speed without a ticket I can guarantee it. I also seem to remember him telling me that Gatso were set to give a single flash at speeds over the limit but up to 80mph then after that it was a double flash and you were nicked, what you also have to bear in mind is not all the grey boxes actually have cameras in them so yes you could zoom past at warp speed but it's a dummy camera. The ones that have internals are set as my earlier post. Will e mail my pal for clarification.

 

[Howard]

No , not SPECS on roadworks .... the overhead gantry cameras on the SW section of the M25 that come into operation when the variable speed limit is in place.

 

[thebook]

Been through those M25 cameras several times at warp speed and not got a ticket.. whoever has done that SPECS programming needs firing

Or thanking!

 

[flango]

No , not SPECS on roadworks .... the overhead gantry cameras on the SW section of the M25 that come into operation when the variable speed limit is in place.

Overhead gantry cameras set as my previous post but there are some dummy cameras with no internals, awaiting confrimation this is still the case.

 

[BTB 500]

As an aside, the TomTom speed camera database knows which M25 gantries have cameras and which don't. They all have the white calibration lines on the road underneath.

I also know someone who routinely does an indicated 85+ through there when quiet and has never been flashed. So unless it's a recent change ... ?

 

[flango]

As an aside, the TomTom speed camera database knows which M25 gantries have cameras and which don't. They all have the white calibration lines on the road underneath.

I also know someone who routinely does an indicated 85+ through there when quiet and has never been flashed. So unless it's a recent change ... ?

They swap the internals from site to site so there is no way the TT database knows which camera is live and which is not, the only way you can tell is if you actualy have a radar detector such as a Snooper which detects K band radar. Everytime I go through the ones on the M25 even late at night coming back from Heathrow they are definitely live emitting a radar signal.

 

[BTB 500]

They swap the internals from site to site.

I know that applies to roadside Gatsos but I'd have thought the amount of work & disruption required would be excessive on the motorway gantry cameras? Presumably for H&S the motorway would need to be closed in case anything was dropped on the carriageway ...