CO2 Reductions From Averaging Cameras

A report from the Sustainable Developments Commission calls for government ministers to introduce averaging speed cameras onto all Britain’s motorways in a bid to cut CO2 emissions.

Data from the Department of Transport shows that 52% of drivers tend to break the 70mph limit on motorways. Averaging speed cameras measure a car’s speed over a long distance, thereby making overall driving smoother and avoiding heavy braking at a speed camera then accelerating away. Introducing averaging cameras could save 1.4 million tonned of CO2 a year according to the commission. 

The averaging system is normally used at road works, but there are now 10 permanent sets of the cameras on our motorways and ministers claim that the number of speeding fines and accidents has reduced as a result.

The UK Government is shortly expected to approve a new generation of average speed cameras which can measure how fast a car is going on a network of streets so that 20mph restrictions can be enfored in urban areas.

Other measures suggested include the integration of a speed limiter in every vehicle, so that it would be impossible for drivers to break the speed limit and thereby reduce their carbon footprint and improve safety.

However, the speed restriction measures suggested by the report has been questioned by campaign group Safespeed, partly due to the fact that the CO2 reductions are yet to be proved, and partly because they feel it unsafe to introduce technology that radically changes driver and car behaviours.

The final decision on where and what type of cameras will be installed falls to The Highways Agency and road safety partnerships.

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