Are you talking about this speed camera van site :
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/database/SES/ses040.htmSpeed Camera Details: White marked van situated at the central reservation on Northbound carriageway between Dorking and Leatherhead (A24). The mobile van is positioned on the bend, after the Gatso camera, so little or no advance warning.
or this one :
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/database/SES/ses041.htmSpeed Camera Details: Gatso located on A24 between Dorking and Leatherhead, at Mickleham Bends. Just after the bend where the speed limit drops to 50mph. Easily visible.
DoktorMandrake wrote:
The reply...
Surrey Speed Camera Partnership Reply 1 wrote:
If there are adverse weather conditions then there are even more reasons to drive carefully and within the speed limit especially on the approach to a roundabout junction next to a school where there has been a record of collisions in the past. We provide advance signing to warn drivers of the enforcement and to remind them of the speed limit and position our vehicles to be as visible as possible. We also have vehicle activated signs elsewhere on the route to remind drivers to drive carefully and within the speed limit. As well as a history of collisions local residents have also raised concerns over speeding on this stretch of road. Do you propose that despite the collisions and public concerns over speeds that we just let errant drivers drive whatever speeds they like and allow a far greater risk of collision!?
With regard to education we very much agree with you. That is why we offer speed awareness courses to low end speeders instead of issuing the usual penalty. These courses highlight the danger of excess speed, and provide education on speed limits and improved driving skills to those who need it the most.
Writing to your MP is helpful as they have a need to please their constituents

and have the authority to potentially influence the decision-making process.
Joining Safe Speed of course !

But I would bring up a number of issues from this reply ...
1) Operation of vans in bad weather often render images useless as number-plates are obscured so their operational effectiveness of obtaining tickets is limited
2) Nothing about their speed camera van aids, trains or guides motorists into taking more care on the road
3) the presence of their vehicles to report vehicles for speeds in access of the posted limit (whether valid or not - as in have the right part of the right section of the Road Traffic Act Orders sought through the local Council), is only for a very short section of roadway so how can that assist in road safety - please send a copy of the Road Traffic Order for this location please.
4) It is widely known and a quick check on You Tube will help anyone locate many videos provided by the Police to show motorists who brake (as their only line of defense), upon sight of a speed camera van (or the potential thereof), to help preserve their licences and their livelihoods
5) It is widely known that when changing the speed limit on a road it will ONLY have a 1mph effect on the Free Travelling Speed therefor most people are prosecuted for travelling around the 85th percentile speed which we know to be safest group of motorists, so why criminalise the otherwise normal actions of a contentious and careful motorist?
6) As there are Gatso's VAS signs and also a Speed Camera Van one might consider that the poor motorist is in fact under attack not being educated at all !
7) the Speed camera vans provide a grave distraction from the road ahead along with 38 other negative effects too - see
Http://www.safespeed.org.uk/effects.htmlConsidering that during wet conditions the braking distance can be increased by 4 times it seems utterly pointless booking people for a specific speed when it is the distance that they are following another vehicle and their attention paid to the road ahead that will provide a genuine assistance if any additional danger threatens and they need to adjust their speed, or position.
8) The free travelling speed fails to alter the speed of a vehicle prior to an accident and therefor it is good observation and anticipation (all COAST attributes - state & explain) that in fact help to prevent incidences to other people and their property.
9) This leads us to the crucial few seconds prior to an incident (see
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/ten.html ) and it surely not of great concern to improve ALL motorists abilities, skills, and knowledge to help prevent all incidents, than to only ever 'educate' (from varied and unreliable sources, who run the courses for profit), those 'few' who choose to attend a course than increase points on licenses (once in 3 yr 'allowance'). Ignoring those who are at a higher rate and completely ignoring those who are driving under the influence, or stolen vehicles or TWOC (Taken without consent), those travelling recklessly or 'paperless trail' vehicles.
10) Since there is never a time to travel at an inappropriate speed, in bad weather were they deciding to ticket people whom in their eyes were indeed travelling in such a manner ? Or are they purely relying on a speed limit entirely ?
11) Clearly you (SCP) do not understand RTTM (Regression to the Mean (see :
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/rttm.html ) as quoting 'accidents' as a reason to locate a van is pointless and useless and serves no benefit. However if you really want to help road safety then you would provide good scientific reports and provide sound engineering long term solutions the road's problems, unless the accidents were such random chance occurrences that it proves that nothing could have been done to prevent further injuries or loss of life. If the area has a consistently high accident rate then drivers need signs to warn of the 'Black Spot', not a speed camera van that purely ID's those who exceed an arbitrary numeric value.
12) with regard to the speed limit setting then setting road speed to 'an average mean' is of no use whatsoever however set at the 85th percentile is shown to benefit road safety.
13) We had the safest roads in the World for decade after decade, without a single speed camera van, and now due to a continuing drop in the volume of traffic - (2% in the last year), that during a recession, people travel less far, less often and are therefor exposed to less danger, therefore we know (Globally) that whenever there is a recession that fatalities go down. Couple this with the fact that people choose routes that have no camera locations and improvements too to the speed of medical care, improvements to medical care
and better and improved vehicle design (esp safety features) all these factors add up to help reduce road injuries and deaths and must be allowed for when considering the Stats.
14) School areas are in fact one of the safest areas of road and there is not only little requirement to be there but to deliberately locate a speed camera van in that vicinity is more likely to cause and accident due to the major distraction element that their van commands to all motorists.
15) If you wish to obtain any respect then only ever man your vehicles with Police persons and stop vehicles immediately.
16) Since 'speeding' (and please do specify what you understand this to be as there is no legal president for this term in Law) is NEVER to CAUSE of an accident, but frustration and inattention are the prime caused of accidents, please tell me how ticketing people within 2 wks of the alleged offence, how this speed camera van is meant to help road safety, in any way whatsoever.
(Incidentally they can and will, now ticket for; being on the phone, eating etc., etc., etc., if they think that they can get a conviction (i.e people pay up and don't take too many to Court!). There are now additional courses for mobile, dangerous and (ah I forget the 3rd ? - riding badly I think it is)....
Local Papers :
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http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/soupress.htmand online :
http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/politics