Big brother's getting bigger

[Chilliman]

From BT Yahoo car news this morning...

The Government has introduced a new generation of average speed camera that can track motorists across entire networks of roads.

The first versions went live on a stretch of the A13 carriageway that heads from southeast Essex into East London on January 31.

Existing average speed cameras only monitor a car's speed between fixed points on the road, but the new models are capable of consistently tracking a vehicle.

The latest system has 84 cameras and 37 average speed monitoring points - it can even keep an eye on drivers entering and exiting a stretch of road.

"Taken to the extreme, the entire UK road network could, in theory, be linked up under one average speed monitoring system - meaning Big Brother could always be watching you!"

[dickieandjulie]

Just what we need!

Interesting that this comes on the same day that the region of Aston announces that it will shortly turn off its cameras as it cannot afford to maintain them following the withdrawal of the local authority funding.

[Vipers]

And just when I thought we were running out of money, what cost for all these spy in the sky system?, silly me, Aberdeen just spent £400,000 upgrading a swimming pool, which will never be used, going to spend 8.5 mill on a park and ride, and another one near the airport including compulsory purchase for properties in the way.

But they cant find the money to repair the bloody pot holes This country must be rolling in money somewhere.

Memo to Aberdeen Council, "I must take my head out of my arse".......

[dbv8]

If that becomes a reality then my commute to work and back each week would waste an extra 3 or 4 hours of my time.
No more 330 mile trips in 4hours 30 (ish)! Would be more like 6+

[Alexdaredevilz]

I hate it when my number plates fall off ;-)

[Tanguero]

It isn't quite as straightforward as it seems. While I deplore average speed cameras (except possibly on active roadworks), they have at least increased the speed limit on much of the area of the A13 affected. If you know the road then you will know that you would be lucky to do more than jogging pace for large parts of the day. The intention seems to be to get traffic flowing more freely by upping the limit. It remains to be seen if it works!

As spokesman claimed on the local news last night that the revenue from the cameras was going straight to central government and not being used to fund the scheme or further cameras...

[Vipers]

Why don't the average cameras clock the plates, check for tax, MOT, insurance, and sort out those who don't comply! now that could be benificial, get some scroats off our roads as well. (And those who don't comply, crush the cars).

In one of our public carparks in Aberdeen, the CCTV scans the car's plate's as they come in, the operator told me it actually does all the above, and will inform someone, (Can't remember who he said it was), of any discrepancie

The scanning is because, this is the method of payment, as you return to the carpark, you locate your car on the screen, and then you pays your money, on entry, you just walk away from your car, none of this getting a parking ticket, and making sure you are back in time.