A Freedom of Information request by a Motorist fined by a Speed Camera on London’s North Circular has uncovered that the camera made £1.5 million in fines in just six-months!
Terry Payne made the Freedom of Information request after being fined by the camera last year.
It revealed that since it went live in April 2016, it generated over 15,000 fines at £100 each before October.
Mr Payne said: “That single camera is making millions!”
His Freedom of Information request also revealed that the camera averaged 154 fines per day in the busiest month of May.
He believes that so many Motorists were caught because they were unaware that they are driving in a 30mph zone on the road, which typically has a 40 or 50mph speed limit.
“I think the general point is that people are simply unaware that they are driving in a 30mph zone.”
“The results of the request suggest that there is something wrong with the signing along that stretch of road for so many people to be caught and fined.”
Transport for London said in a statement: “The limit on the A406 Gunnersbury Avenue has been reduced to 30mph from 40mph to ensure the safety of all road users and contractors working onsite to upgrade Power Road Bridge.”
We’re not sure whether this is London’s highest earning Speed Camera or not, but surely it must be up there…
All the best,
Adam
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People were trapped because the 30 mph limit was imposed at the same time as the camera was installed. When this first happened there was no “justification” for the limit as claimed by TfL since the bridge works had not started. So for just 200m there was a 30 mph limit on a stretch of road that had always been 40 mph. I was very lucky not to get caught myself as there was only a small 30 mph sign- no obvious warning of the new limit. Very underhand and very profitable.
Really. It didn’t MAKE money! It extorted cash from motorists to go into the police coffers or to pay for sanctamoniuos twits to tell folk how wicked they were. However, the mojority drive sensibly so perhaps the camera’s in place where the speed limit is daft.
The camera is after the bridge works end, as such there is no justification for it all. Just after the camera it goes back to being a 40 limit – just a blatant cash grab
Another trick has started with the latest cameras on much higher poles, where their reflective yellow is above headlight beams at night. The instruction that the type 880 sign (30mph & Camera) be visisble in the same view as the camera allows the unscrupulous authority to put the 880 signs on an equally high pole, invisible at night.
Stick to the speed limit and you won’t get fined. Please don’t speed and then moan because you got caught. Just takes a bit of situational awareness.
Please tell me how is drive protect going to be of any help in this case, it’s a speed camera, if you are at 35 or more you are likely to get a ticket, pretty much every loophole for motoring offences have long since gone, especially camera ones.
I drive that piece of road quite often, sorry but it’s clearly marked that it’s a 30, annoying though it is. A bit more concentration could save the day.
Although I now live in Derby I know this stretch of road very well as I use to live just around the corner from where the speed camera is once again the authorities are using the motorist as a cash cow it is about time the authorities were bought to a halt on bleeding motorists dry
Quite happy to collect the money without doing anything to ensure the motorist is clearly aware of the speed limit applying, Why kill the cash cow?
We are paying people with our taxes and fines to think of schemes to rob us !
It all part of the plan to control and make you think that you are a bad person – undermining confidence- making you feel a lesser being !
Mr Payne like the rest of us is here to be shafted !
Take a bow
Really sad & shame on council Taking hard working children money & enjoy life’s government have to think why this camera making money in short time must be problem with sign humble request with government help citizens because citizens not really aware about this camera
Despicable, not the limit the underhand way it was placed without ‘reasonable’ signs to identify a speed limit change.
CLEARLY TO MAKE MONEY
Outrageous but quite common sadly hammer the motorist!!!!
not helped by TomTom being so slow to update speed limit changes. Gunnersbury Avenue, also changes on A22 over a year now, still not on their system, have reported to them many times
This surely happens all over the country. The high cash total here simply arises due to the high volume of traffic on the North Circular Road. North Yorkshire Police are playing the same profitable game in Scarborough on Queen Margaret’s Road. A statistical analysis of a spreadsheet containing all the speed offences data for North Yorkshire for much of 2015 was sent to the Police and Crime Commissioner. This clearly highlighted an anomaly but received a bland response similar to the one here. ‘All done in the interest of safety’ when we all know it is to generate income by failing to have proper road signage. She even claimed that road signage is not a police responsibility!
In a democratic system, if 15,000 people vote the speed limit should be higher (and have obviously travelled safely past the camera at that speed) then whoever set the limit lower I would say has been clearly outvoted! The limit needs to be raised!
one way of reducing road congestion is to ban drivers and the bonus is of course the revenue collected.
For the powers to be who always know best it is a win win for them. Discuss!
My,how times have changed,I used to drive around the North Circular in thee 1960s, and the police encouraged driving above the 40 mph limit to assist traffic flow.
@ ray. Your a very silly person
How did this motorist get the information about this specific Speed camera? I made freedom of information requests about specific speed Camera’s from Gwent police, and was told that the information was not available, and I should contact the Local The local Authority in charge of the sections of roads in question. I then contacted the local Authorities in question, and was told to contact the Police, or Road Safety Partnership – and the merry go round started. Eventually,I managed to get some data, but NOT the specific data I requested.
Absoloutely ridiculous.
Every which way you turn in this country the authorities shaft you at every opportunity.
The majority of whom are all corrupt sad entities on the jolly bandwagon for as long as it lasts.
If you are worried now just wait until responsibility for traffic enforcement moves from the police to the local authority. I believe this is being discussed formally and likely to become enacted sometime this year. Perhaps Adam would like to look into this and create another blog to discuss!
northampton cameras are turnd off because council will not pay maintaiance
But camera vans operated by the police can be found around blind corners and into the sun
At least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he robbed people!
Another unethical money making device by the councils/governments in the guise of safety……If there was no money to make would they have changed the speed?
Some people really don’t get it do they? to quote your post… “The results of the request suggest that there is something wrong with the signing along that stretch of road for so many people to be caught and fined.” The results suggest nothing of the sort! How on earth can you make that quantum leap?! You could equally well say “The results suggest that people don’t notice the speed signs because they’re too busy texting.” There’s nothing in the facts presented to support this argument.
The main point remains – if YOU speed past a speed camera it’s NOT anybody else’s fault. I’ve had a couple of tickets in my life – MY fault for not sticking to the legal limit or not noticing the speed limit signs.
End of.
Why are people so afraid of owning their mistakes these days? And that all applies to all areas of life.
Has anyone taken pictures of the signage long that stretch of road? If it’s incorrect the Alex limit is unenforceable!!!!
Initially we were told the introduction of speed cameras were to be located at “accident black spots” for reasons of safety. From experience, research and comments of others this is certainly not now the case. As quoted my times the present policy appears to be make as much revenue as they can
The point is under what criteria was this camera placed?
Was it places due to the number of serious over the prescribed period of time.
If not whilst they can put a camera anywhere it breaches policy.
Notts council lowered a speed limit on Farmers Branch from 40 to 30 MPH for no valid reason. I made a freedom of information request. About every 3/3 weeks there is a mobile camera collecting money. The mantra appears to be place a very low speed limit and make some money from speed awareness course for the police
As several people have noted it’s your own fault if you get caught speeding. I am fastidious about keeping to the speed limit. When the limit changes I look down at my speed omitted to check my speed and adjust my speed to the new limit, looking down ad checking at regular intervals. The down side is that if you are one of these people who slow down to below the speed limit when I am checking my speed, I drive into the back of you. Also god help you if you happen to be working in the road when I am checking my speed. Adam. any suggestions on how to avoid this carnage?
I would like to know if it has actually stopped any accidents. How many accidents were reported in the previous 6 months and how many during the 6 months it was in place. After all that is the reason cameras are installed, isn’t it?
I feel very strongly that cameras are more about funds than about safety. Yes – near schools and other congested and dangerous areas there is a case for enforcement but many cameras and camera vans are in places that are in wider, more open and safer areas with no accident record, where people go a little faster… this makes a good fund raiser. Also – I think there should be no fine – only points. A millionaire can pay £100 easily, but an unemployed person trying to pay rent and feed the family could be financially ruined by a £100 fine – that is just not fair. Then they would only put cameras where there is a definite need for safety – not the faster roads which give them a soft target.
Farid butt, Why don’t you accept your responsibilitie?. As usual it is someone else’s fault.It is your responsibility to drive within the law.
I agree ray is a v.silly person..we all try and adhere to the speeds in the appropriate manner but i think these speed cameras just highlight how profitable it is for the ruling classes and yet they have no money for potholes,bike lanes,white lining etc.. I recently sent them an email outlining certain points that could be taken into account like more flashing signs that reminds of Us speed and maybe letters in the post without monetary gain,surprisingly didn’t get a bloody reply!!!!profiteering capitalists!!
No Ste I think you are the silly person, I don’t agree with change either, but it is what it is, a bit of concentration goes a long way
I hope the authorities gave ample signs and warnings at the time of bringing in this new limit. They are legally required to give warning before a change and for a period of a few weeks after introducing the change, they usually don’t but failure to do so can make any fines unenforceable for that period.
Mike.
I thought that the law required a stipulated level of accident occurrence at a location before a speed camera could be installed ?