Drivers across England are being alerted to a significant error involving speed cameras that has resulted in thousands of motorists being incorrectly fined and issued penalty points.
The Technical Fault Explained
National Highways has confirmed that a software upgrade issue caused variable speed cameras on several motorways and A roads to activate incorrectly. The fault meant cameras continued to flash and record drivers as speeding after the displayed limit had been legally raised, such as at the end of a temporary restriction.
The agency's chief executive, Nick Harris, stated: "Safety is our number one priority and we have developed a fix for this technical anomaly to maintain the highest levels of safety on these roads and make sure no one is wrongly prosecuted." The organisation has apologised for the blunder, which it says affected around 10 per cent of England's strategic road network.
Scale of the Incorrect Penalties
Since the problem began in 2021, National Highways has identified approximately 2,650 incorrect camera triggers. This equates to fewer than two erroneous activations per day. Crucially, not every trigger resulted in a penalty notice being issued, as police forces do not pursue every camera activation.
The total number of incorrect activations represents less than 0.1 per cent of the 6 million camera activations recorded in the same period. Despite being a small percentage, the error has impacted a notable number of drivers over the four-year period.
What Happens Now for Affected Drivers?
Police forces across the country are now working to identify and contact all motorists who received an invalid penalty. The National Police Chiefs' Council confirmed they are reaching out to a "very limited number of motorists".
If you are affected, you do not need to take any proactive steps. The process for redress includes:
- Direct contact from your local police force.
- A full refund of any fine paid.
- Removal of any associated penalty points from your driving licence.
- Details of a compensation scheme will be shared in due course.
In the meantime, police have temporarily halted issuing fines from the affected variable speed cameras while the fix is fully rolled out. Speed limit enforcement continues through other methods, including mobile cameras, average speed sites, and traffic patrols.
A Department for Transport spokesperson emphasised: "We apologise to anyone who has been affected. Safety was never compromised, and we are working with policing to ensure nobody is incorrectly prosecuted in future. Enforcement is still in place, and the public can remain confident that only motorists who break the rules will be penalised."
