A significant portion of speed cameras on England's major roads, particularly on smart motorways, have been non-operational for nearly a year, raising serious concerns about road safety. Ministers have confirmed that 154 cameras, covering approximately 440 miles of the Strategic Road Network, have been out of action since December of the previous year. This represents more than a third of all cameras across the national motorway system.
Smart motorways, which utilize variable speed limits to manage traffic flow and enhance safety, are considered particularly reliant on functioning enforcement technology. Critics argue that the prolonged failure of these cameras has potentially made these roads more hazardous.
Fiasco and Delayed Review
The issue first came to light in December 2025 when faults were identified. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander initiated an independent review into the matter in January, expecting it to report within 18 weeks. However, the review's findings have yet to be published.
Tory shadow transport minister Greg Smith stated that the failure "has potentially made smart motorways even more deadly" and called for ministers to "take responsibility, come clean about this failure and get the system working properly."
Edmund King, President of the AA, expressed concern over the extended delay, noting that the technical solution is still undergoing testing almost a year after the problem was identified. He emphasized the need for motorists to have confidence in the accuracy and reliability of motorway technology, especially on smart motorways.
Rod Dennis, the RAC's road safety expert, added that malfunctioning cameras not only allow speeding drivers to evade penalties but also erode public trust in smart motorways, a road type already viewed with apprehension by many drivers. He stressed that adherence to variable speed limits is crucial for the safety of all road users.
Technical Glitch and Enforcement Impact
Transport minister Justin Madders confirmed in a written parliamentary answer that the anomaly affected 154 cameras on 10% of the Strategic Road Network. He stated that a solution had been developed and was undergoing testing.
National Highways, the body responsible for England's Strategic Road Network, attributed the initial problem to a software synchronization delay. This caused a lag of about ten seconds between speed cameras and variable speed signs, leading to drivers being incorrectly identified as speeding when the limit had changed. For instance, a driver might see a 60mph limit sign, but the camera was still registering a previous 40mph limit.
This glitch resulted in thousands of drivers being wrongly issued speeding tickets before the faults were publicly declared. Despite the problem being identified nearly a year ago, the cameras remain offline.
Variable speed limits are a key feature of smart motorways, especially those with no hard shoulder, where they are used to prevent collisions by slowing down traffic. National Highways maintains that speeding offenses continue to be detected and prosecuted through a range of other enforcement measures and that a fix for the impacted cameras is undergoing rigorous testing.