Thousands of speeding fines in England could be overturned after a technical fault with variable speed cameras led to drivers being wrongly penalised. National Highways has apologised for the error, which it says affected a “very small number” of motorists since 2021.
The problem is believed to have been caused by a software update that made some variable speed cameras on motorways and A-roads incorrectly detect vehicles as speeding after the limit had increased. The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points.
Nick Harris, chief executive of National Highways, said: “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.”
National Highways identified around 2,650 incorrect camera activations since 2021, fewer than two per day and less than 0.1 per cent of the six million activations in that period. The issue affected 10 per cent of motorways and A-roads in England, and a solution is being implemented as soon as possible.
Police forces have temporarily halted issuing fines from variable speed cameras until they are confident no one will be wrongly prosecuted. Anyone incorrectly fined will be contacted directly by police, with fines refunded and any penalty points removed from their licence.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “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.” The National Police Chiefs’ Council added that enforcement continues through other methods such as mobile camera deployments and patrols, and affected motorists will be contacted with details of the compensation scheme.
