Should the location of police speed traps be displayed on signage?

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Should the location of police speed traps be displayed on signage?

I have been led to believe that police speed traps (of the hand-held variety, not fixed camera) could only be conducted where there was clear signage that a speed camera operation could be conducted. I have just witnessed a camera trap, of the hand-held variety, 200 metres into a 40mph zone from a national speed limit zone. There are no signs anywhere along either stretch of that road to indicate any form of speed camera operation. Also the police had a car situated prior to the trap, I assume, to caution any vehicles travelling away from the trap against signalling oncoming vehicles. Is a headlight flash to vehicles approaching a mobile camera trap illegal?

Asked on 6 July 2013 by PS, via email

Answered by Honest John

Police are not obliged to put up signs any more than to warn that muggers, burglars, arsonists, rapists or murderers in a particular area will be prosecuted. It's simply a matter of good sense to put up warnings where speeding is deemed to be a problem (or a money-maker), so that there is no excuse and that prosecutions go smoothly. It is not illegal to warn approaching drivers of the potential hazard of a speed trap unless the police are able to prove that the approaching vehicles were speeding and that you were therefore assisting them in evading prosecution for committing an offence.

Tags: road signs speed limits speed cameras

Similar questions

Why aren't speed limits displayed using a reflective band system?

Speed limits could be posted by reflective bands and a system of one band for 30mph, two for 40mph adopted. Motorists have to have certain standards of eyesight and should be able to observe the bands....

Is there a more efficient way of displaying speed limits?

With reference to the Government’s plans to install extra speed limit signs. I can see the logic as to why this should be thought necessary. My wife and I recently toured an unfamiliar area using ordinary...

What do you think of my idea to indicate speed limits by painting the central line on a road?

A couple of years ago, I sent the following suggestion to the Editor of the Daily Telegraph, who promptly ignored it. I still think it has some merit. What do you think? “I see from yesterday's edition...