Yet more CamerasYet more Cameras
So, you thought you were safe did you? Not content with placing Gastos everywhere to spoil your fun (which in some areas are being painted Dayglo Yellow to help you spot them), a new weapon is being unleashed on the unsuspecting public in Northamptonshire. A team of civilians, employed and backed by the Police is taking your picture from stationery cars and (at the time of writing) has caused 23,000 motorists to be prosecuted since March 2000.
The 5 cars, marked Safety Camera Team, use the traditional laser to find your speed and if too high, a camera then takes your picture - smile please. The first you will know is when the letter of intended prosecution arrives, so watch out, you have been warned (too late, take 3 points and a £40 fine!).
One car trapped 800 motorists in one weekend recently so this shows how effective this weapon is. The vehicles used in this money making scheme are not exactly hidden or lost in amongst normal traffic as they have SAFTEY CAMERA TEAM in big letters on the sides, Dayglo chevrons on the rear with the word Police (in very small letters), and Amber lights on the roof. The cars themselves are white, orange, maroon or green Fiat MPVs and operate during daylight nicking anyone 10mph or higher over the speed limit. At present the only areas I know they target are at Junction 15 of the M1 and the A14 around Kettering, ideal for Fiesta in the Park and any meetings at Silverstone. As the Editor lives in Kettering perhaps he can report on their presence and effectiveness?
If anyone out there has come across these cars let us know where and when and we’ll pass the information on.
Nogbad the "Not Nicked Yet".
Mail Nogbad
I can vouch for the effectiveness of these vans and their ability to blend chameleon like into the background. I was caught on the A43 between Towcester and Northampton in July 2000 a few days before the RSOC National Day. The van was parked on an overbridge and from a distance looked just like a recovery truck. As I had not been made aware of them I was caught doing 87mph on the dual carriageway. There is also now a permanent TruVelo camera on this stretch (near the turn for Blisworth heading South), which went up in the last few days and is painted Blue.
Northamptonshire Police do now list the locations that these vans will be working in on their web site. The registration numbers of these five vans are: W422 HVV, W423 HVV, W424 HVV, & W425 HVV.
For more information on speed cameras Click Here.
For more info on these vans visit this site.
The Editor.
October 2000.
UPDATE:
Spotted on A605 on 11th May 2002. Northamptonshire Police now have a Transit van with the Safety Camera equipment onboard. It is white with orange stripes on the back with Police in red letters over the stripes. Orange flashing lights on the roof and Safety Camera Team on the front in blue.
First Published by the Fiesta Club of Great Britain www.fiestaclubgb.co.uk.
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Site created 1 Jan 2000.
Last updated 14 June 2002