Strange Cameras have gone up! **Answered 30/04

[PeteG]

Very sinister-looking, I must say.

Are the central lenses perhaps IR-beams, so they can see in the dark?

[michael769]

Very sinister-looking, I must say.

Are the central lenses perhaps IR-beams, so they can see in the dark?

Not the two windows to the left and right contain banks of IR LEDs that produce IR illumination for a night vision camera. I assume the two central lenses consit of a standard colour camera for daytime use and a B&W/IR camera for nightime use.

The IR arrays are the giveaway for the the use of ANPR. Modern digital colour cameras can produce very good images at night (albiet in B&W), however they are currently not sufficient for ANPR, hence the IR arrays.

I have been hearing noises about facial recognition systems, but as far as I know it's some way away from being a workable solution. I'd say at a guess it would need some serious optics, could this be a live trial?

[moncainthewilds]

Nice to know somewhere else has these. There seem to be a lot of different cameras appearing around Oxford ( they say they are monitoring the traffic) for what no one seems to know, but they can get pictures of number plates, and also along the A420 Swindon to Oxford. I have tried to find out what they are all for without much success. I did wonder if they were measuring speed over distance?

Monica

[Red Herring]

Indirectly yes they are. A lot of ANPR systems are being introduced by local traffic authorities to try and improve traffic flow. If you take your average town and put in place a system of ANPR cameras on all main roads into the area you are in a position to work out average journey times. There are in effect two "rings" of cameras, the first on the outskirts, the second nearer the town centre. The system monitors and records registration numbers and compares the time taken to travel between two cameras. What it can then do is adjust traffic light sequencing to try and speed up a particular route if it notices traffic taking longer than a preset parameter. Haven't you noticed the signs now appearing telling you it is x number of minutes to the town centre, or heard the traffic reports on the radio?

Of course it is relatively easy for other agencies to get a feed from these cameras for other purposes which can be very useful.

[jont]

A lot of ANPR systems are being introduced by local traffic authorities to try and improve traffic flow.

Improve? Really? I thought government thinking had only very recently changed in this direction (on the grounds of environmental costs of congestion). Until recently I thought councils were deliberately trying to cause traffics jams to encourage people out of cars and onto public transport (hence the blight of bus and 2+ lanes around Bristol and other cities reducing road capacity by 50%).

[Red Herring]

That's because there are lots of little empires all trying to do their own thing. Councils may well want everyone to walk or catch the bus, however Highway Authorities have a remit to reduce congestion. When it comes to joint ventures like Bus lanes I'm guessing it's a case of who has the most clout locally...?

[jbsportstech]

Here http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/ ... ney_times/

[TripleS]

A lot of ANPR systems are being introduced by local traffic authorities to try and improve traffic flow.

Improve? Really? I thought government thinking had only very recently changed in this direction (on the grounds of environmental costs of congestion). Until recently I thought councils were deliberately trying to cause traffics jams to encourage people out of cars and onto public transport (hence the blight of bus and 2+ lanes around Bristol and other cities reducing road capacity by 50%).

Pah, I bet they're bungling amateurs down there compared with the schemes being adopted by Scarborough Borough Council, who seem to be hell bent on causing as much damage to efficient traffic flow as they can manage.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Big Err]

I'm suprised you haven't been arresed under the terrorism act for taking photos of the cameras.

The lengths some folk will go to for a strip search!

[Rabiedmushroom]

James - thanks for following this up here and finding the answer in the local press.
Looks like a lot of busy towns may be getting similar systems in the future.