The new two-way ‘ultra’ speed camera drivers must watch out for! What they look like and how they work

A new ‘ultra’ speed camera is being installed along roads in Britain, which is the most advanced of its kind to date.

The device can identify speeding drivers traveling in both directions, does not flash when activated and can also catch motorists not wearing a seat belt or handling a cell phone behind the wheel.

Because it has been approved for use in the UK, it looks and works very differently to typical roadside cameras – meaning many drivers will be completely unaware of what they are.

And drivers in Manchester in particular should take note, as more than 100 have already been installed across the city.

It’s called the VECTOR-SR and is the latest in ‘spot camera’ technology from German manufacturer Jenoptik Traffic Solutions.

The company is already known for producing SPECS speed cameras that are often seen along highways or mounted on overhead gantries to calculate whether motorists are exceeding the national limit.

However, the latest device, dubbed the ‘ultra camera’, is very different indeed.

The VECTOR-SR can double up for both speed and red light enforcement, making it one of the most versatile cameras on the market today – and one that will be very attractive to cash-strapped police forces and local authorities.

It uses a video-based system that works with an intelligent virtual grid to assess whether a driver is speeding.

Measurements from Jenoptik’s radar technology are then validated by secondary, independent and image-based evidence.

That means there’s no need for road markings, which have typically been one of the biggest tell-tale signs of letting drivers know where speed cameras are located.

The system uses infrared technology to capture images through photos and video recording, eliminating the need for a camera flash, even at night and in bad weather.

As such, they will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, and drivers will be unaware that they have been tricked by the technology.

And because the camera records images of a driver over the limit, any visual evidence showing drivers driving without a seat belt or using a cell phone can be used for further violations.

Driving or carrying passengers without a seatbelt carries a fine of £500 per person, while using a portable device behind the wheel now carries a fine of six points and £200.

Unlike previous cameras that only capture vehicles driving in the left lane, the new model records up to three lanes in each direction. This means that one installation can maintain an entire road section.

It will also be able to identify fast-moving vehicles and their owners as it has built-in ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology.

The devices, described by the manufacturer as an ‘integrated’ camera system, can be attached to existing roadside furniture or a pole and do not need to be connected to the existing road network with sensors installed in the roadway – making them be a cost item. effective solution for authorities.

Although they are painted yellow, as is the requirement for strobes, they are much smaller than conventional devices and are likely to be more difficult to spot on the road.

The VECTOR-SR received Home Office Type Approval for use as a speed camera in Great Britain in 2019 and for red light enforcement in spring 2021while Geoff Collins, deputy director of Jenoptik Traffic Solutions UK, said shortly afterwards: ‘This is the product our customers have been waiting for: a modern, digital and non-invasive red light enforcement system.

“We can now provide fair and accurate red light, spot speed and average speed solutions using a common core of known, reliable components, helping responsible drivers have a safer journey.

‘Supported by infrared lighting, light enough to mount on a passive safe pole or existing street furniture and without the need for in-road sensors or signal head connections, VECTOR SR represents a step forward in red light enforcement technology.’

Where are these cameras already used?

After type approval, the cameras are already being used throughout the country.

Transport Scotland has signed a contract worth almost half a million pounds to install them in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Cornwall Council and Devon & Cornwall Police are using the new technology on their roads, and there are installations in Deeside and Wales.

And this week it was confirmed by Greater Manchester Police that more than 100 speed cameras have been installed across the city after receiving funding through the Mayor’s Challenge Fund (MCF) to improve road safety and support Greater Manchester’s commitment to ‘Vision Zero’ – the aim of eliminating all road fatalities and serious traffic fatalities and injuries.

Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin, from Greater Manchester Police’s Safer Transport Team, said: ‘The new and improved speed cameras across the city region will ensure motorists stick to road speeds and do not drive recklessly or anti-socially.

‘Speed ​​limits are in place to ensure our roads are safe. Excessive speeds increase the likelihood of driver error, increase the time it takes for a vehicle to stop and can also increase the number of fatalities in a crash.”

Peter Boulton, Head of Highways at Transport for Greater Manchester, added: ‘By investing in these safety cameras we are underlining our commitment to Vision Zero, our ambition to reduce and eliminate the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, helping Greater Manchester becomes safer. place for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists.

‘However, education is just as important as enforcement when it comes to tackling speeding, and I would strongly encourage motorists to be mindful of their behavior on the road to protect themselves and others.’