If you’re driving through Bedfordshire then keep an eye out for their new speed camera vans. Called “Command Vans” they have four cameras that cover the front, sides and back, rather than just at the rear as with traditional speed vans.
There are currently four vans in use, each of which was converted at a cost of £28,000. The vans allow a single operator to monitor traffic for up to a kilometre in each direction, and will be especially useful at catching motorcyclists who often got away thanks to their rear mounted plates.
Now when a speeder passes the van they can be pictured from three different angles, ensuring plates are caught and increasing the chances of getting a clear visual ID of the driver. This was one of the loopholes used by a lot of motorists who contested the fines, who could escape conviction because the identity of the driver couldn’t be established.
As you might expect motoring organisations were less than happy with the new vans. Roger Lawson, speaking for the Association of British Drivers (ABD), said the four-way Command Vans were an unwelcome development. ”Statistically the idea that speed cameras stop speeding is a load of cobblers, they are just a way of raising revenue” he said. ”This kind of investment is a waste of money. They should be scrapping vans rather than improving them.”
So what’s your best form of defence against these new vans? Well, the obvious one is to keep your speed down but you could always invest in a GPS speed camera detector. They’re especially good at warning you of the location of camera vans.
Source: Daily Telegraph
