Types and locations of safety cameras

Average speed camera systems 

Average speed cameras are highly visible and are mounted on over-hanging poles in pairs. The system measures the average speed which a vehicle travels between two cameras. 

• A2 Belfast to Bangor Road (Culloden)
• A2 Belfast to Bangor Road (Dicksons)
• A2 Bangor to Belfast (Culloden)
• A2 Bangor Road to Belfast (Dicksons)
• A24 Saintfield Road 

Fixed safety cameras

Fixed safety cameras measure the speed of a vehicle at a given point. The cameras, which are marked yellow, are mounted at the roadside on grey-coloured poles.

Fixed red light running cameras

Fixed red light running cameras look similar to fixed safety cameras.  They are located at junctions with traffic lights which have a lot of collisions

Mobile safety camera vehicles

The mobile safety camera vehicles use the latest digital photographic and laser technology to accurately measure and record vehicle speeds. The vehicles, which are clearly marked and highly visible, are used on the following  routes throughout Northern Ireland. 

Antrim and Newtownabbey

Ards and North Down

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon

Belfast City

Causeway Coast and Glens

Derry City and Strabane

Fermanagh and Omagh

Lisburn and Castlereagh City

Mid and East Antrim

Mid Ulster

Newry, Mourne and Down

Where cameras are installed

Safety Cameras are installed in sites/ routes which evidence suggests that there is an injury collision and speeding problem.

Methods are as follows:

• road traffic collisions with injuries over the past three years are mapped on a computer using a geographic information system
• clusters of collisions either at specific sites or along routes are identified using specific criteria established by the Partnership Board in line with national standards
• the Partnership conduct assessments to find the most suitable solution such as signage, engineering works or speed enforcement
• speed surveys are undertaken at sites to find out if a speeding problem exists
• statistics from camera sites are monitored to make sure camera enforcement is working

Community concern sites

Community concern sites are enforced where there is a well-founded concern, raised through the local Policing and Community Safety Partnership or the PSNI Area Commander, that a failure to reduce speeds will result in collisions causing death or serious injury.

Belfast City

 Antrim and Newtownabbey

Ards and North Down

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon

Causeway Coast and Glens

Derry City and Strabane

Fermanagh and Omagh

Mid Ulster

Newry, Mourne and Down

Reliability of speed detection equipment

All speed detection equipment operated by the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership is approved by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) before it can be used for enforcement.

The equipment goes through thorough testing to the standards set by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch and there are a range of strict procedures for operating the equipment that further assures accuracy. Cameras are only used on specific roads which must meet strict criteria.

Camera calibration certificates

Fixed speed camera calibration certificates

• Fixed speed camera calibration certificates (including Antrim Road, Upper Newtownards Rd)

Red-light-running camera calibration certificates

• Red light running camera certificates (including Castle Street, Millfield, Divis Street, Mill Street, Millfield - Peter's Hill, York Street, Georges Street, Middlepath Street - M3 Onslip, Nelson Street - York Street)

Mobile speed cameras calibration certificates

• Mobile camera LE0897
• Mobile camera LE0916
• Mobile camera LE2571

• Mobile camera LE2572

• Mobile camera LE2573

• Mobile camera LE2574

• Mobile camera LE3255

• Mobile camera LE3256 

• Mobile camera LW06305
• Mobile camera LW06306
• Mobile camera LW06308
• Mobile camera LW06309
• Mobile camera LW06310
• Mobile camera LW06311

Human Rights Act

In keeping with the Human Rights Act 1998, the registered keeper of a vehicle can be required to give the details of who was driving at the time the vehicle was speeding. This is not a breach of the individual’s rights to a fair trial.

More useful links

• Speed limits - how they are set
• Speed limits and penalties for breaking them
• The Highway Code