Major motorway and trunk roadworks can prove a dangerous working environment for contractors, with contraflows, narrow lanes and changes in road layout. But the safety of the site is increased when speed limits are reduced.
What is SPECS?
SPECS is a system used for calculating the average speed of vehicles on roads.
How SPECS works?
Cameras are mounted on columns at the side of the road. By placing the cameras at certain points, the speed of vehicles can be controlled throughout the traffic management area. Each SPECS pair consists of two digital video cameras, linked by cable to an enforcement cabinet.
The video cameras continuously capture images of vehicles. The number plates are read using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and the average speed of the vehicle is calculated between the two cameras. If this exceeds the speed limit, an offence record is created.
Benefit
The benefit of average speed cameras is that traffic keeps to a consistently safe speed, rather than vehicles slowing down and speeding up again.
SPECS facts
A SPECS system was installed on a 32 mile stretch of the A77 in July 2005 in a pilot project. Analysis to date shows considerable speed reduction throughout the route and very few speeding offenders.
SPECS was used for the first time as part of road works in Scotland on the M74 Raith Interchange scheme from February until June 2006.
SPECS has been used at approximately 35 roadwork sites in England since August 2000. Speed limit compliance examples as follows:
The only system that can enforce speeds over a distance is SPECS.
SPECS uses automatic average speed digital technology. A pair of cameras creates a speed controlled zone and groups of cameras can be linked to create a speed controlled network.
The time it takes for a vehicle to travel between a pair of cameras is digitally recorded and used to calculate average speed.
Further information on SPECS available from www.speedcheck.co.uk.
