Motorway Cameras ???/

[skybluescooby]

I have seen these cameras dotted about the motorways recently and wondered if anyone knew exactly what they are doing and why ?
They are not police speed cameras, (i hope), they are not vehicle licnce cameras.

You usually find one or two silver vans parked up in a layby or a grass shoulder, the cameras are attached to a large pole coming out of the van and appear to face both carriageways.
Sometimes small tripod mounted cameras are on the opposite carriageway at eye level facing oncoming traffic ?
What are these as the vans tend not to have any markings on them, are they mobile hotspot cameras, traffic flow cameras ?? if so why not mark the vans up ?
Anyone know ?

 

[Distressed damsel]

I think these vans you describe are used by the DVLA to spot Tax Disc evaders.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/nav?page=motorcyclenews.messageboard.forum.thread&threadID=59776

 

[Brightness]

I'll put this question to my mate who works for road safety (he very often mans the speed trap vans yah boo hiss). Might take him a couple of days to answer though....

 

[kendor]

and you call him a mate

 

[hermes]

and you call him a mate

But that's cos he points his camera in the other direction when he sees her approaching at 80mph.

 

[Brightness]

80mph? You'd be hard pressed to get up to 60mph around here And I don't get forewarned of them either - he just turns up freezing cold afterwards, expecting a coffee to warm him up

 

[Brightness]

OK then just spoken to my mate and he says they are not speed vans as they have to be clearly marked if they are !!!!

 

[Dellsmp]

Speed vans, clearly marked? lol
All you see is the blacked out windows from behind, the markings are only on the sides which are only visible when you're already alongside.
Went past one on the A417 on my way to Swindon yesterday, smuggly stuck behind a lorry doing 60 on a steep bit, relieved to have been stuck behind him when we passed the camera van sat in the lay-by at the top of the steep bit on a bend. As concealed as they possibly could be without using camofluage.

 

[Brightness]

Jeez I hate that 417 it's a nightmare of a road

 

[skybluescooby]

just spoken to my mate and he says they are not speed vans !!!!

So, what are they, Traffic flow monitoring ????I have seen them a few times at a very busy junction in this part of the world, The A66 junction to Teessdie Park for the locals on this site,
Maybe they are conducting surveys at certain "peak" periods ????Surely they would be marked though, which highlights the secrecy as to what they are doing

 

[Brightness]

He said he didn't know what they were seeing as they don't use them in 'Road Safety' which is where he works. I wonder if they are Vehicle License detectors - maybe Gordon Brown has sent a hit squad out

 

[skybluescooby]

Dont think they are vehicle license as they are usual small combi vans with the usual red/yellow chevrons on the rear and the dvla logo on the side, these are vans, usually silver and always 2 or three with cameras on both carriageways

 

[JPC]

they could well be ANPR...

Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

they read ur number plate as you drive towards it....computer checks PNC (police national computer) and flags up any reports on the motor vehicle.

if it is anpr further down the road they will have a few officers hanging about.

the officers in the van radio the officers further down the road...

red fiesta R234RTF is flaged up for a bilking (normally petrol one..not paying for it or forgeting to)..the officers then stop it.

the reports on pnc vary from..no rent (no vel(tax)), occupants responsible for xyz...warnig markers like, occupants responsible for an armed robbery at so and so...do not stop but inform control...

bla bla bla

 

[JPC]

i think insurance will be going live soon...so no insurance will also show..

U have nowehere to hide !!!

 

[masona]

Already is with the police car, when they pulled my son up last year they knew all the insurance details without telling the police officer