What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
A smart motorway speed limit reduced as I went past the camera. Will I be fined for speeding?
I was travelling down the M1 on at 70MPH and, as I reached a gantry, the speed limit signs flashed up 50MPH. I started to brake, but on the other side of the gantry was a speed camera, which promptly flashed me. I was doing about 60/65mph as there was a car behind me and I couldn't brake hard. Can they fine me for this? If they do, do I have any grounds for challenging the ticket?
Asked on 10 November 2020 by Alex Smith
Answered by
Georgia Petrie
I believe that when a speed limit changes on a smart motorway, drivers have a one-minute grace period before speed cameras will flash them. That means the cameras don't begin to enforce the new speed limit until one minute after it has changed. You shouldn't be fined, but if you are, I would bring up the fact that it had only just changed and you couldn't safely brake to 50mph.
Tags:
speeding
smart motorway
Similar questions
Rather than have dangerous Smart Motorways, why don’t National Highways reduce congestion by simply educating people and enforcing the rule of driving on the left?
It is SO frustrating to see drivers...
A recent UK holiday using so-called "smart" roads made me question why we are allowing motorists to risk their lives using them. I understand an extra lane will allow more cars to flow through but at what...
Smart motorways are very ambiguous and I genuinely don't know what speed to drive. I drive regularly on the M3 and between junction 4a and 2 is 'smart'. Currently there are roadworks with 50mph speed limit...
.jpg)
