A technical glitch in England's variable speed cameras has led to thousands of drivers potentially facing wrongful speeding fines since 2021. National Highways, the body responsible for managing England's motorways, has acknowledged the error, which resulted in 2,650 incorrect camera activations. This anomaly affected 10% of the country's motorways and major A-roads.

Technical Fault Identified

The issue stemmed from a delay between the variable speed limit signs and the cameras, causing some drivers to be falsely identified as speeding after the speed limit had changed. National Highways' chief executive, Nick Harris, emphasized that safety remains the top priority and assured that a fix has been developed to prevent future errors. "Safety is our number one priority," Harris stated, adding that the organization is working closely with police to ensure no further wrongful prosecutions occur.

Impact on Drivers

Drivers affected by this technical issue will be contacted directly by police forces. They will receive reimbursements for any fines paid, and penalty points will be removed from their licenses. The minimum penalty for speeding typically includes a £100 fine and three penalty points. To prevent further errors, police have temporarily halted issuing fines from these cameras until their accuracy is confirmed.

Official Responses

A spokesperson from the Department for Transport reiterated that public safety was never compromised and that enforcement measures remain in place to penalize only those who break traffic rules. Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs’ Council is actively working to identify and contact the limited number of motorists affected by this issue.