New ‘stealth’ speed camera vans are beginning to be utilised in the UK, starting with Northamptonshire Police.
The new speed camera vans were rolled out for the first time by Northamptonshire Police at the beginning of April, but are intended to be used more widely throughout the UK.
Image credit: "Speed camera, Blossomfield Road, Solihull" by ell brown is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The new vans mostly differ from the ones we are accustomed to seeing in that they are unmarked. On the one hand, it could be argued that this is a kind of ‘exploitative’ move designed to catch speeding riders and drivers out. However, it can also be seen as a way to try to make speed camera vans have a greater impact on the behaviour of motorists. If you don’t know what is or is not a speed camera van, perhaps you are more likely to ride or drive with more caution, and therefore avoid speeding. That would appear to be the idea, at least.
Road Angel is a tech company with a focus on cars. Its founder, Gary Digva, is supportive of the new, grey, unmarked speed camera vans being used now by Northamptonshire Police, and has been quoted by the RAC as saying: “Introducing these undercover mobile speed camera vans is a positive step forward in reducing the amount of speeding drivers on UK roads.
“Motorists should be aware that other police forces across the country, too, could be rolling out these covert camera vans and should watch their speed wherever they travel.
“The safest way to drive is to assume that every van you see on the road is carrying a speed camera - then you'll never break the limit, avoid fines and stay safe.
“For motorists that need that extra bit of help keeping within the limit there is technology available that provides drivers with key speed information and safety alerts.
“Although there is certainly still a long way to go to stop speeding vehicles and the number of fatalities and injuries it causes, I hope that deploying these vans will mean motorists will think twice before putting their foot down.
“Not only will you be slapped with a hefty fine and points on your licence, you're also seriously putting your own and other road users' lives seriously in danger.”
Image credit: Workshop Seventy7 / Twitter.
The first of these vans was spotted last year in December, but it has now become clear that that first van was a part of a "new generation," as the RAC puts it, and one which is intended to be nationalised in the future, should this initial trial in Northamptonshire prove successful.
