UK speed cameras and Irish plates

Biscuit Baron

Hi everyone,

I'm planning on driving my car over to the UK for a brief holiday in a couple of weeks time, and I was just wondering if UK speed cameras are able to identify Irish licence plates?

I'm not actually planning to speed, but it'd be nice to know if I'll have to permanently keep one eye on the speedo due to the huge amount of Gatsos over there.

Thanks.

stesaurus

I was over there in January and came across quite a few speed camera's.

Almost all were picked up by the GPS to warn me in time, except for one!:mad:

I was going through some road works a little faster than I should around midnight and flash flash!!! Nearly got blinded from it.:eek:

Anyways still haven't heard a thing from it so I presume I'm safe. I don't think there's any current co-operation between the Guards and the UK police.

Run_to_da_hills

All standard Irish number plates are ANPR compatible and can be picked up by any compatible UK ANPR readers. The UK authorities have access to the Irish database. If you get done for speeding in the UK there is a good possibility you could receive a summonses in the post in Ireland.

If you ignore the fine you could be pulled over at port of entry or questioned by a mobile patrol using ANPR cameras that would identify your number if you intend driving in the North or UK again. Recently there was an agreement between the Irish Government and the UK to share information on penalty point offences.

lynchie

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

All standard Irish number plates are ANPR compatible and can be picked up by any compatible UK ANPR readers. The UK authorities have access to the Irish database. If you get done for speeding in the UK there is a good possibility you could receive a summonses in the post in Ireland.

If you ignore the fine you could be pulled over at port of entry or questioned by a mobile patrol using ANPR cameras that would identify your number if you intend driving in the North or UK again. Recently there was an agreement between the Irish Government and the UK to share information on penalty point offences.

Dont see how they have access to the DB? I've been flashed once or twice over there and also being tracked by the average speed cameras which I know I definitely had broken the avg speed and still have not gotten anything from them in past 3-4 years.

The recent agreement was NOT on penalty points but an agreement to share data about drivers who were disqualified.

bazzachazza

Last i heard the agreement was many many years off.

Run_to_da_hills

lynchie wrote: »

Dont see how they have access to the DB? .

They have had access to this database for years for insurance and registration purposes. If they didn't paddy could bring any DOE failed banger over to the UK stick Irish plates on it and drive it around.

lynchie wrote: »

I've been flashed once or twice over there and also being tracked by the average speed cameras which I know I definitely had broken the avg speed and still have not gotten anything from them in past 3-4 years.
.

Im sure that if you done it once too often at high speed they would soon be on to you over here via the Gardai.

lynchie wrote: »

The recent agreement was NOT on penalty points but an agreement to share data about drivers who were disqualified.

Can you please explain this then....
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/062-36466-350-12-51-910-20080904STO36279-2008-15-12-2008/default_en.htm

bazzachazza

Immunity for bad and dangerous drivers may be coming to an end

Drivers caught speeding abroad must no longer be able to avoid prosecution, say MEPs on Parliament's Transport Committee, who overwhelmingly voted to back a report that will make cross border law enforcement easier.

No where in that report does it say it has been enacted they have just voted to agree on a report.

and finally

MEPs will take an initial vote on this legislation during the October plenary

bazzachazza

So at the moment it would seem you can't be done for speeding in another country but i would imagine in a few years you will be done but it may take awhile to link all the systems technically.

Omcd

s.welstead wrote: »

I was over there in January and came across quite a few speed camera's.

Almost all were picked up by the GPS to warn me in time, except for one!:mad:

I was going through some road works a little faster than I should around midnight and flash flash!!! Nearly got blinded from it.:eek:

Anyways still haven't heard a thing from it so I presume I'm safe. I don't think there's any current co-operation between the Guards and the UK police.

Just because it flashed does not mean there was any film in it.

bazzachazza

Is the UK not nearly all digital these days

Terrontress

It would be very difficult to enforce a penalty for an offence that is legal in the country where the driver's license is issued. What if a German is pulled on an Irish motorway for doing 130 or even the whole km to mph issue between the UK and Ireland. There is alot of work to be done to fairly apply penalties across the EU.

Run_to_da_hills

bazzachazza wrote: »

So at the moment it would seem you can't be done for speeding in another country but i would imagine in a few years you will be done but it may take awhile to link all the systems technically.

At the moment all this new E tagging and ANPR technology is being made interoperable through out Europe. In other words if you bunk a toll bridge or road in France you will soon hear about it in Ireland likewise if a French national on holidays bunks the westlink he will hear from the NRA.

bazzachazza

Fair enough. But i would hope that they would make people very aware when it does become operational.

Was reading a car mag last week Autocar or like and they were reporting that some members of the Kent police now work in Pas de calais region of France on the A26 into Calais to catch UK drivers speeding and to fine them.

I'm surprised that they havent got a deal between Gardai and PSNI to do the same on the roads on this island.

I did get flashed 3 times in France last month doing what i think was 138 kph in a 130 kph area. Didn't see any flashes in the UK but like i said earlier they are nearly all digital cameras and i don't think they need to flash.

I won't be driving in the UK or Continent for a good while so i would imagine that was the last trip where i didn't have to worry about the cameras.

It will be a pain when the cross border inforcement comes in due to the sheer number of cameras throughout the UK.

Victor

Be careful. If you are stopped by the police for all but the most basic offences (not paying parking meter), you may be arrested and held until you pay bail of a few hundred pounds.

Biscuit Baron

Thanks for the replies everyone.


It seems that I won't have to worry too much about getting flashed by a fixed camera while going a smidgen over the limit (which is all I'd in all likelihood do anyway). That's a bit of a relief.

macplaxton

The worst they could do is fine you.

And all the cost of chasing it, isn't worth it the hassle. They can't dish out points to non-UK licence holders, although non-UK licence holding residents (optional for A or B licence, mandatory for C or D) can have a UK counterpart to take advantage of fixed penalties rather than go to court. They might keep a tally if you're a persistent offender.

ardmacha

What if a German is pulled on an Irish motorway for doing 130 or even the whole km to mph issue between the UK and Ireland.

I don't see that this is a problem, you obey the speed limit in the place you are, not the place you are from. It wouldn't be a defence when caught driving in a town that the speed limit on the rural road you live on is 80. The only issue is the differing number of points for different offence, but once again it goes by where you are.