Speed camera tolerances: why you may not get fined for going over the limit

Speed cameras across the UK are being programmed to allow drivers to travel over the speed limit without being handed a fine, a new study has found.

In a report by Auto Express, Britain’s 45 police forces were asked to reveal the tolerances of their 3,224 speed cameras, following internet rumours that motorists were being issued with tickets for exceeding limits by just 1mph.

Of the 33 police departments that responded, 23 confirmed that their cameras will only active once a driver has exceeded 10% of the speed limit plus 2mph. For example, a driver travelling in a 30mph zone won’t be issued a ticket unless they pass through a speed camera at 35mph or above.

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London’s Metropolitan Police and Lancashire’s force have a slightly less strict tolerance of 10% plus 3mph. Police in Essex, meanwhile, say that a variety of thresholds are in use across the county.

Nine police departments, including forces in the West Midlands and Scotland, refused to reveal their camera thresholds, arguing that it might encourage drivers to speed.

Why are the thresholds in place?

A Met Police spokesperson told Auto Express that the 10% plus 3mph threshold in the capital was a “proportional response to the high volumes of traffic”, while forces in Lancashire said they had adopted that limit “to ensure greater tolerance or discretion”.

But as CarBuyer points out, “there’s no hard and fast rule” since such tolerances are unofficial, and some police officers may enforce a “zero-tolerance policy”.

Ultimately, it is “always up to the motorist to drive safely and at an appropriate speed”, the car reviews site says.

However, the Mail on Sunday reported last summer that the 10% threshold imposed by many forces was under review, with some police in favour of a stricter approach.

Chief constable Anthony Bangham, from West Mercia Police, told the newspaper that the current leniency around speeding leads drivers to think it’s “OK” to exceed the limit.

“We need to change our messaging and ensure greater consistency of approach when dealing with those who exceed the speed limit,” he said.

Are car speedos accurate?

Not always. Modern cars are more likely to have accurate speedometers, but Auto Express says some vehicles may show that the vehicle is travelling up to 3mph faster than it is in reality.

Although it is illegal for speedos to display a figure lower than the car’s actual speed, the alleged lack of accuracy has led some experts to back speed camera thresholds.

Edmund King, head of the AA, told The Sun last year that drivers should be encouraged to focus on the road instead of their speedometers.

“The last thing we want is drivers glued to the speedometer 100% of the time. We want drivers to concentrate on the road ahead,” he said.