Talking point - a need for speed cameras on the M4

More than 35,000 motorists were caught speeding in the space of 12 months after the cameras were turned on in October 2016.

The FOI also revealed that 8,595 of those caught have settled by way of a £100 fixed penalty and three penalty points.

This means that £859,500 has now been collected in fixed penalty income alone by the Courts and Tribunals Service.

There was a significant response from our readers on both the South Wales Argus website and Facebook page.

Here is what our readers had to say:

How many were doing 25 in that stupid 20mph limit on three lanes at 9.30 at night, in the empty section of roadworks, which changes to 40 in the single lane sliproad at J26?

I don’t hold with speeding and grumpily adhere to this 20 but no wonder limits are held in contempt when they are ill-considered. (Steps back while one-hand door-sill-arm-resting ne’er signallers chime in....)

BTW the limit starts at the sign, it isn’t the braking (yes, BRAKING) point, and seeing the sign in the distance doesn’t mean the higher limit starts now.

davidcp

Twenty mph on a motorway is ridiculous. I avoid this stretch of motorway now, its getting ridiculous. its not easing congestion, its just wearing out people’s brakes on their cars. also there has been more crashes with them on compared to when they were off.

gabby691

Money making scam. If I get caught doing 26 in a temporary 20 zone on a motorway I will be throwing the letters in the bin. I’d rather go to prison.

Similarly, open roads on a Sunday afternoon and the limit is set at 50, then 60, then 50 again. This isn’t for road safety. Again, any letters coming through my door under those circumstances will be going straight in the bin as well.

aplololol1

The speed limits are mostly automated on that stretch of motorway and as much as I don’t think they are always suitable they are indicated by giant signs over each lane. If you don’t notice that limit and stick to it and get caught then like it or not, your not paying enough attention to your driving!

I have to accept my own advice here as a few weeks ago I got done for doing 57 when the signs were reading 50, I must have been miles away and not concentrating which I find worrying when they couldn’t make the limits any clearer without shouting them at you.

Went on a speed awareness course and actually found it very good as did most of the people there.

If so many people are getting caught then I’m more worried about how many people are driving up the M4 thinking more about other things than driving safely.

Gasguy

You’re correct about the speed awareness course and I suspect that many of the 35,000 or so will have opted to attend one rather than take points. Also, many foreign registered speeders will just ignore the penalty notices.

PHOEBU5

Now the tunnels have improved lighting the speed limit should be higher .I have noticed cars doing 52 mph getting flashed by the cameras this is all about the money not safety.These drivers that were caught were driving to the road conditions the speed limit is always set too low 38,000 drivers cannot be in the wrong

Caerleon Toff

38,000 drivers could be wrong if they are not in control of their vehicle enough to slow down to the correct speed limit.

There was a mass kicking off over speed cameras on the M5 a little while ago and how many people were being caught.

The Chief Constable or whoever he was in charge of the police cameras in that area actually said that if people thought they were hard done by now wait a while because if it was up to him he would set the speed cameras to the actual limit and not allow for a percentage over. Catch everybody out then.

If you are unable to maintain a speed in a vehicle then i suggest you slow down to allow for your incompetent driving ability or give up.

Boltcutter936

As usual the ‘rules is rules’ preachers completely miss the point. 35,000 is a tiny fraction of the many thousands of journeys on this stretch of motorway every year. The point almost everyone has made is it’s utterly pointless except to raise funds. It hasn’t reduced congestion or reduced collisions one iota.

It’s made no difference whatsoever to the congestion or collisions. Pointless waste of taxpayer millions to install, maintain and monitor the system - plus all the increased congestion for the years when they ‘upgraded’ this stretch.

Excalibur

First of all you cannot be prosecuted for breaking a 20 MPH limit the equipment does not currently exist across all formats for enforcement.

The cameras of which there are only 2 sets in each direction are not average speed cameras, they are located at west bound at J24 second gantry and then first gantry past the tunnels, and east bound last but one gantry before J26 and then the gantry where the A4042 joins the motorway at J25. Or just observe the posted limit

Port0214

I always observe the M4 speed limits, however stupid they often appear to be and however many times it arbitrarily seems to change over a short piece of road. Agree this is more of a money making exercise than anything - there are regular accidents on the motorway and I bet the majority of these are caused by plain bad driving not excessive speed

rosa61