UK Speed Camera Types

Gatso - These speed cameras are situated in a stationary position by the side of the road. They are coloured orange for visibility and are signalled in advance by a speed camera sign. They use radar to measure the speed of a vehicle and then take a picture of the back. Peek speed traps operate in a similar fashion.

Truvelo - Truvelo speed cameras are also situated at the side of the road. However, they differ from Gatso speed traps in that they use markings on the road to measure the vehicle's speed. They also face forward, which enables the driver to be photographed aswell as the registration number of the vehicle. Speedcurb speed cameras operate in a similar fashion.

SPECS - These speed cameras are much more difficult to notice from a drivers perspective, due to their location on gantries above the road. They measure a vehicles progress between two points in the road and then derive the speed from this. It then registers the number plate digitally.

Handheld - A variety of handheld speed traps are used by police forces across the UK. These include the Mini Gatso, TSS and the Teletraffic. The LTi 20 20 is the most commonly used handheld speed camera. They are often held by policemen, or are contained within a stationary police vehicle. They operate using lasers to register the speed of vehicles and record the images onto a film. These handheld devices have given rise to controversy throughout their use, with questions being raised over their accuracy.