National Highways discovered 2,650 erroneous speed camera triggers since 2021 caused by timing lag between cameras and variable speed limit signs on English motorways
A technical hiccup could result in thousands of speeding fines being cancelled for motorists, after certain cameras were incorrectly triggered on English A roads and motorways.
National Highways has disclosed that since 2021, there have been 2,650 faulty speed camera activations due to a timing delay between cameras and variable speed limit signs.
Affected drivers will be contacted by police forces and reimbursed for any penalties, with penalty points also being removed from their driving licences where necessary.
However, not every camera activation leads to enforcement action, so not all incorrect triggers would have resulted in actual fines.
National Highways has apologised for the error, with chief executive Nick Harris confirming that a solution to the problem has been identified.
“Safety is our number one priority… All drivers should continue observing the posted speed limits as normal. Anyone who has been impacted will be contacted by the relevant police force,” he declared.
National Highways, which oversees England’s motorway network, attributed the issue to an “anomaly” in how variable speed cameras were communicating with signage on specific A roads and motorways.
This caused roughly a 10-second delay between cameras and corresponding variable speed limit displays, leading to some drivers being erroneously flagged for speeding after limits had changed.
The organisation revealed the 2,650 incidents since 2021 represent fewer than two daily occurrences, in contrast to over 6 million speed camera activations on the affected routes during the same period.
It acknowledged the fault has impacted 10% of England’s motorways and major A roads. The organisation is working alongside police to validate activations and has vowed that no individual will face incorrect prosecution moving forward.
Police forces have temporarily halted issuing fines from variable cameras until they can be confident of their accuracy.
A Department for Transport spokesperson declared: “We apologise to anyone who has been affected. Safety was never compromised, and we are working with policing to ensure nobody is incorrectly prosecuted in future.
“Enforcement is still in place, and the public can remain confident that only motorists who break the rules will be penalised.”