Motorists across England are discovering that their driving records might not be as clean as they thought—but not for their own fault.
A long-running technical glitch in speed cameras has led to thousands of drivers being unfairly penalized, with some even facing bans or losing jobs due to errors that went unnoticed for years.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has now ordered an independent review to get to the bottom of the problem, acknowledging that “a number of people incorrectly faced enforcement action for speeding.”
Tens of Thousands of Cases Under Scrutiny
The Mail previously revealed that over 36,000 speeding cases have been dropped after a glitch was found in variable speed cameras on smart motorways and certain A-roads.
These cameras, introduced in 2021, sometimes misread the speed of vehicles due to a slight delay between gantry signs updating and the cameras registering the change.
The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that National Highways—the body responsible for England’s strategic road network—will now investigate cases dating back to 2019 to ensure all affected drivers are identified.
Real Consequences for Innocent Drivers
Some drivers were wrongly prosecuted, and a small number even faced driving bans. Experts warn the fallout could cost taxpayers millions in compensation.
Hugh Bladon, from the Association of British Drivers, said, “When you consider somebody could lose their licence and maybe their job as a result of one of these faulty speed cameras, the implications are incredible.
It’s an awful lot of people who have been unfairly punished for doing something entirely innocent.”
He added, “God knows how the Government is going to sort this compensation. If you’ve lost your job because of an unfair driving ban, how do you make that right?”
How the Glitch Happened
The error stemmed from a delay of a few seconds between variable speed limit signs and the cameras detecting the updated speed.
This meant drivers traveling at the correct speed could be flagged as breaking the law.
The problem only came to light after motorists presented dashcam footage in court proving they were within the limit.
At one point, the police even had to switch off some cameras because they were deemed unreliable.
Over four years, the glitch affected approximately 154 cameras and led to roughly two mistakes per day—equivalent to about 0.1% of camera activations.
Legal Experts Call for Accountability
Philip Somarakis, a criminal and regulatory lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, welcomed the review, noting that many motorists are likely frustrated that the problem might stretch further back than originally thought.
“The review will look at how technical and operational issues, including this anomaly, are identified and escalated within National Highways,” he said.
“This is not an isolated incident, and it raises questions about other potential failings.”
Independent Review Underway
The DfT announced that board member Tracey Westell will lead the review, investigating how the glitch occurred and why it wasn’t caught sooner.
A spokesperson emphasized, “The travelling public must have confidence that technology on our roads works as intended.”
The review will examine how the issue was handled and what changes are needed to prevent a repeat.
So far, 2,650 drivers have been identified as innocent victims, and police have canceled 36,000 speed awareness courses as a precaution.
Smart Motorways Under Scrutiny
National Highways has apologized for the malfunction and insists that new checks will prevent further wrongful prosecutions.
The cameras can still enforce the 70mph speed limit on affected motorways, but the glitch has fueled ongoing safety concerns about smart motorways.
Studies have shown that UK smart motorways without a hard shoulder are three times more dangerous if a vehicle breaks down, a statistic the Daily Mail has long highlighted in its campaign for safer roads.
What Happens Next?
With cases now being reviewed back to 2019, more drivers could see their convictions overturned.
Compensation and accountability are likely to be complicated, and for those affected, the glitch has had real-life consequences—lost jobs, stress, and unfair penalties.
For the Government, resolving the fallout will be a massive task, but for the motorists, it’s a long-awaited opportunity to have justice restored.
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