UK Smart Motorways Compromised by Faulty Speed Cameras, Raising Safety Concerns
Over a third of speed cameras on England's major roads have been inoperable for nearly a year, impacting smart motorways where variable speed limits are critical for safety.
More than 150 speed cameras on England's major roads, including critical sections of smart motorways, have been out of action for almost a year, a failure that critics argue has potentially made these routes more dangerous. Ministers confirmed that 154 cameras enforcing speed limits across 440 miles of the Strategic Road Network have been non-operational since December of last year.
This situation affects more than a third of all cameras on the motorway network and covers approximately 10% of the country's Strategic Road Network (SRN), which encompasses all motorways and major A-roads. Smart motorways, which utilize variable speed limits to enhance safety, are particularly reliant on functioning enforcement technology. The ongoing camera malfunction has led to concerns about increased risks for drivers, especially given that some smart motorways have their hard shoulder permanently removed to create additional lanes.
In response to the initial discovery of faults in December 2025, the Labour party initiated an independent review into the issue in January. However, this review, which was expected to conclude within 18 weeks, has yet to be published. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reportedly deemed the situation serious enough to launch the review.
Critics have urged ministers to address the problem promptly. Greg Smith, Conservative shadow transport minister, stated that the failure to maintain functioning cameras has "potentially made smart motorways even more deadly." He 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 prolonged delay in resolving the issue and the pending review. "Motorists must have absolute confidence that motorway technology is accurate, reliable and properly tested, especially on 'smart' motorways that rely on technology and variable speeds," King said. He added that the fact the technical solution is still undergoing testing nearly a year after the problem was identified is "particularly concerning."
Rod Dennis, the RAC's road safety expert, noted that malfunctioning cameras not only allow speeding drivers to evade penalties but also erode public trust in smart motorways, which already face significant skepticism from drivers. "The safety of everyone using smart motorways depends on people sticking to variable speed limits," he emphasized.
The issue was revealed through a parliamentary question, with transport minister Justin Madders confirming the anomaly affects 154 cameras on 440 miles of the SRN. He stated that a solution has been developed and is undergoing testing. National Highways, the body responsible for the SRN, acknowledged that speeding offenses continue to be detected and prosecuted through "a range of enforcement measures" and that a fix for the impacted cameras is undergoing testing.
Previously, National Highways stated in December 2025 that the problem stemmed from how variable speed cameras interacted with speed signs, causing a delay of about ten seconds. This synchronization issue led to drivers being incorrectly identified as speeding when the limit had changed, resulting in thousands of drivers receiving erroneous tickets. Despite the issue being declared, the cameras have remained out of action for nearly a year.
