Drivers slapped with speeding tickets seven years ago could have their penalties revoked as a review is launched into faulty cameras. An independent review will look into a glitch in variable-speed camera systems that may have led to road users being unfairly punished.
This could see many motorists having their speeding convictions and cases dropped years later, despite road users already paying fines and receiving penalty points years earlier. It is understood that more than 36,000 speeding cases have been axed as investigations into a major speed camera issue continue.
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The Department for Transport has confirmed the technical anomaly affected 154 HADECS cameras deployed on 10% of the UK’s strategic road network. The error meant there was a delay between the limits set on speed cameras and variable speed signs.
It meant some road users were being flashed and then penalised for speeding even if they were under the current variable limit. As part of the review, the DfT confirmed that it would look into cases as far back as seven years ago to ensure everyone potentially impacted is identified.
They confirmed: “National Highways is continuing its investigations back to 2019, when the upgrade of cameras began, to ensure that everyone who has been impacted is identified.”
It’s likely some road users would have been unfairly banned from the roads after picking up their 12th penalty point. The DfT review will aim to establish the cause of the technical anomaly and look at whether it would have been possible to identify it sooner.
Where appropriate, the report will also make recommendations for any changes that could be made to National Highways’ governance.
Officials state that a final report setting out an assessment of the facts and any future recommendations will be issued to the DfT in around 18 weeks.
The DfT added: “National Highways has identified a technical anomaly that has impacted how its Highways Agency Digital Enforcement and Compliance System (HADECS) cameras interact with variable speed limit signs on a limited number of A-roads and motorways.
“The anomaly has meant there was, at times, a slight delay between cameras and variable speed signs, leading to some drivers being incorrectly detected as speeding after the limit had changed. This has resulted in a number of people incorrectly facing enforcement action for speeding.”