Skip to main content

Average speed cameras go live on Scotland’s motorway upgrade

Average speed cameras are due to go live across the US$780 million M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project in Scotland. It is hoped they will encourage a safe and steady traffic flow by monitoring the average speed of vehicles through the works to ensure the safety of both road users and road workers. The cameras are expected to go live on 20 July and will remain in place until the completion of the project in spring 2017.
July 17, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Average speed cameras are due to go live across the US$780 million M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project in Scotland.

It is hoped they will encourage a safe and steady traffic flow by monitoring the average speed of vehicles through the works to ensure the safety of both road users and road workers.

The cameras are expected to go live on 20 July and will remain in place until the completion of the project in spring 2017.

The cameras are being installed in phases across the project, beginning on the M74, and will be rolled out at the following locations over the coming months. On approach and throughout the roadworks, signs will advise drivers of the speed restrictions.

Graeme Reid, project sponsor for 505 Transport Scotland, said: “We know from our experience of major road infrastructure projects that safety cameras are a tried and tested approach that improves safety for both road users and the adjacent construction workforce during what will be an extremely busy period in terms of construction.

“Not only do the cameras create a safer environment for all concerned, they can also help improve the flow of traffic through the works. With more than 100,000 vehicles using these key routes each day, we are acutely aware of the challenges involved in keeping the traffic moving whilst delivering a project of this scale and complexity. However we will continue to work closely with Scottish Roads Partnership to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“Once complete, congestion across the central Scotland motorway network will be significantly reduced, with travel time reliability between the main route of Glasgow and Edinburgh improved.”

Chief Inspector Fraser Candlish of Police Scotland, said: “The reduced speed limit is necessary to ensure that drivers are able to cope safely with the inevitable effects of the road works such as narrowed lanes, changing lanes, contra-flow and construction traffic. Highly visible average speed cameras are an effective way of encouraging motorists to respect the reduced speed limit.”

Mark Miller, a spokesperson for Scottish Roads Partnership, said: “Given the close proximity to the live road and the space constraints across the site, we believe that it is necessary to install safety cameras and reduce speed limits to ensure the safety of road users and that of our workforce. We would like to take this opportunity to thank road users for their patience while we deliver these significant improvements works.”

Transport Scotland, together with its partners, is currently delivering more than US$2.3 billion of investment in the biggest ever package of projects to improve the country’s transport infrastructure on both the road and rail networks. The M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project represents a substantial part of this investment, and aims to tackle congestion problems on the A8/M8, M73, M74 and at key junctions including Raith (M74) and Shawhead (A725/A8).

When complete, congestion across the central Scotland motorway network will be significantly reduced, with travel time reliability between the main route of Glasgow and Edinburgh improved.

The M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project began in February 2014 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2017.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New Zealand planning more speed cameras
    December 3, 2012
    The government of New Zealand aims to improve road safety in the country by installing more speed cameras nationwide. Currently, the ratio of speed cameras per 100,000 people stands at 1.3 compared to 2.5 and 4.8 in the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria respectively. The New Zealand Transport Agency is to be allocated US$8.05 million to increase the number of speed cameras from the existing 55 units to 100 or more by 2015. Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges welcomed plans to increase
  • TfL outlines new 20mph speed limit sites in central London
    March 13, 2015
    The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have outlined plans for eight new pilots of 20mph speed limits on the TfL road network (TLRN) as part of continuing work to reduce road casualties, increase active travel and enhance the areas where people live, work and shop. The first confirmed pilot location is in Tower Hamlets, which is planned to be introduced in April when all borough roads in Tower Hamlets are made 20mph. Once implemented, the route could then be extended out to cover the wider Shore
  • Big data analytics identifies congestion increases
    November 26, 2014
    Iteris has completed and published the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) 2014 Level of Service Monitoring Report. The report was generated for speed-based congestion monitoring, utilising big data analytics in place of conventional in-field manual data collection for 205 miles of the 327 mile network. Use of big data analytics will be expanded in future monitoring cycles. Many agencies conduct congestion monitoring through manual data collection efforts. Agencies traditionally us
  • Iteris tech to manage traffic during I-405 upgrade
    August 3, 2020
    Safety is emphasised during California highway improvement work