Speed Camera Facts and Myths

Discover the truth behind some of the most common and long-standing myths about speed camera penalties.

It can often be the case that motorists think they’ve got a pretty good handle on speed camera facts and road safety in general, however this isn’t always the case. We don’t resort to sneaky tactics to catch speeding drivers or put speed cameras in places just to make money.

Enforcement sites are determined in line with the national guidance published by the Department for Transport and the National Police Chiefs Council.

The current Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership camera site selection criteria is available as a PDF here: Rules for proposed camera sites

On this page, we discuss some of the most common speed camera myths. So whatever your opinions on the subject, you might find the following insights interesting, if not surprising:

‘You have to be a police officer’

no -  the enforcement officer can be a trained civilian who has
authorisation from the Chief Constable.

Leicestershire speed camera van

‘You have to be visible’

no -  there are no laws about visibility, however, we maintain
that being visible acts as a deterrent so therefore we only
used marked vehicles and all speed cameras are Hi-Vis yellow.

‘You have to put signs out’

no -  we do not have to place any signs at an enforcement site,
however, to assist those drivers who are unsure of the speed
limit a sign is fixed to the street furniture or placed at the roadside before
entering the enforcement area. NB only at our core enforcement sites.

‘The threshold for speeding is 10% + 2mph, so I can travel at 35mph in a 30mph limit’

Thresholds vary and can change without notice. Any offence occurs at
1mph over the limit, officially you can be prosecuted at that speed,
however, most forces will allow a variance.

‘Where we park’

A camera van isn’t subject to parking regulations when carrying out
speed enforcement, however, we expect our staff to use discretion & common
sense while adhering to local guidelines & designated parking locations.

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Camera Locations

Comprehensive, regularly updated listings of all temporary and fixed speed cameras in the region.

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Caught on Camera

Been caught speeding on camera, or gone through a red light, and unsure of what happens next?

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Speed Camera Statistics

Read up on collision and casualty data including speed camera statistics.

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