Thousands of UK Speeding Fines to be Cancelled Due to Camera Glitch Dating Back to 2021

Technical Glitch Affects Variable Speed Cameras

Thousands of speeding fines issued to motorists across England are expected to be cancelled following the discovery of a 'technical anomaly' affecting variable speed cameras. The issue, which dates back to 2021, caused cameras to incorrectly detect drivers as speeding, even when they were adhering to the posted speed limits. National Highways, the body responsible for England's major roads, has apologised for the error.

The fault stemmed from a software update that led to a synchronisation failure or a delay of approximately 10 seconds between variable speed limit signs changing and the cameras registering the new limit. This meant that drivers were sometimes flagged for speeding after the limit had already increased.

Scope of the Problem and Affected Roads

National Highways has identified around 2,650 incorrect camera activations since 2021. While this figure represents less than two activations per day and a 'very small number' compared to the over 6 million total activations on affected roads during the same period, it has led to wrongful penalties for numerous drivers.

The technical issue impacted 10% of motorways and A-roads in England. Specifically, all variable speed cameras on smart motorways were affected, along with two cameras on the A14, which connects the Midlands and the North with East Anglia.

Remedial Actions and Official Statements

Drivers who were incorrectly fined will be contacted directly by the police. Any fines wrongly imposed will be reimbursed, and penalty points added to their driving licences will be removed. Police forces have temporarily ceased issuing fines from variable cameras until they are confident in the accuracy of the systems, though other forms of speed enforcement remain in place.

Nick Harris, Chief Executive of National Highways, stated, 'Safety is our number one priority and we have developed a fix for this technical anomaly to maintain the highest levels of safety on these roads and make sure no one is wrongly prosecuted.' A spokesperson for the Department for Transport added, 'We apologise to anyone who has been affected. Safety was never compromised, and we are working with policing to ensure nobody is incorrectly prosecuted in future. Enforcement is still in place, and the public can remain confident that only motorists who break the rules will be penalised.' The National Police Chiefs' Council confirmed that police forces are working to identify and contact 'a very limited number of motorists' affected by the issue.

The minimum penalty for speeding in the UK is a £100 fine and three penalty points.