As you drive into Town on Penistone Rd there are two camers attached to a lampost. Does anyone know of their purpose?
They are attached to either the 2nd or 3rd lampost after the Lexus garage. :huh:

They're probably traffic control cameras; there's loads about!

I always get confused with em' and think they are Speed Cameras.. Not that I speed of course.. Just curious..

Originally posted by Kristian
They're probably traffic control cameras; there's loads about!

If your talking "Traffic Master" type, then I always thought they were a blue colour. The ones I refer to are either a grey or cream colour.Not too sure as I like to keep my eyes on the road. :wink:

Originally posted by claycraft
If your talking "Traffic Master" type, then I always thought they were a blue colour. The ones I refer to are either a grey or cream colour.Not too sure as I like to keep my eyes on the road. :wink: If they're not yellow they don't catch you speeding (note I say speeding) (grey boxes catch you driving through orange/red lights)

Originally posted by Captain_Scarlet
If they're not yellow they don't catch you speeding (note I say speeding) (grey boxes catch you driving through orange/red lights)

These ones are cylindrical (sp), "Traffic Master" type being more square. Definatly not the run of the mill roadside variety (Gatso, Truvello etc).
They've been there quite a while now.

They were up at the time of the G8 summit and it was speculated they were checking registrations.

They went, and then reappeared about a week ago.

They will not be just to monitor traffic, one per lane, and fixed.

This suggests car checks - tax / insurance maybe?

It's time we knew - perhaps a question to the SYP website is in order.

i've seen these too, but only a glimpse. i believe there's 2 of them, i would say the size of a large food can. dark coloured (grey or black) and look like a mesh on the front.

i thought cameras at first but not any road cameras i've ever seen before.

well on here somewhere there is lnk to the councils cameras and they shouw this stretch of road and how busy it is, so i am guessing its to do with that.. it shows you online loads of places in sheffield!

traffic cameras (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/travel-information/traffic-cameras/camera-list)

...but its certainly not a normal traffic camera. these are fixed.

Traffic cameras would NOT need one per lane.

They suggest they are focusing at a fixed point.

My moneys on vehicle checks!

In fact put the word round that they are checking tax & insurance!!

Hey presto - less traffic!!

Well, the technology already exists and is used in certain places to read number plates, and they have databases linking those to road taxes... So it won't be too long before it's just not possible to avoid taxing your car. I also remember the last time I was in London was on the first day of a month, and there was an awful lot of police pulling people over on the South Circular - they had spotters a few hundred yards up the road presumably looking at tax disc colours... They ought to get commission on the fines (I assume they don't?), would be a nice incentive!

Originally posted by rich951
Well, the technology already exists and is used in certain places to read number plates, and they have databases linking those to road taxes... So it won't be too long before it's just not possible to avoid taxing your car. I also remember the last time I was in London was on the first day of a month, and there was an awful lot of police pulling people over on the South Circular - they had spotters a few hundred yards up the road presumably looking at tax disc colours... They ought to get commission on the fines (I assume they don't?), would be a nice incentive! They have a van for this that was recently in use in Sheffield on Abbeydale Road.

A large white unmarked van with two cameras looking out of the back of it, bigger than a speed van.

Then round the corner was a cordoned off area with a panda car and a traffic car parked up waiting for the nod from the van. If you don't pull over for them then the traffic car's on your tail until you stop.

It's a good idea though and catches out those that use stolen or forged disks too. There have also been people caught in the past for paying for road tax with cheques that don't clear and continuing to display the tax disk, funnily enough they don't count as being legally taxed.

Saw these today.

Really easy to miss, it's my route into work so i wonna know who's watching me and why.

Mind you i'm on a scooter so i got no tax disc to check or even licence plate on the front. :clap:

click here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2304163.stm)

pic from bbc site showing tax disc camera.

looks slightly similar as their round and small, but the ones on penistone raod look smaller than these.

Originally posted by oasismark
Saw these today.

Really easy to miss, it's my route into work so i wonna know who's watching me and why.

Mind you i'm on a scooter so i got no tax disc to check or even licence plate on the front. :clap: Scooters still need to be taxed.

Originally posted by lalaland
Scooters still need to be taxed.

I should reword what i put...

I have a tax disc on the scooter but it won't be able to be seen with these cameras as it's over the back wheel.

Also the licence plate is only on the back of the scooter.

I am fully legal :thumbsup:

On my motorbike I keep the tax disk on the front wheel facing sideways, so it's still not visible to the cameras.

My number plate is also on the rear and if I was dishonest I would be using that to my advantage with the Truvelo speed cameras that face forward as they wouldn't catch my number plate or face, but I'm honest and stick to the law.

Nice benefit for us on two wheels though :D

good idea for cameras, i have seen the mobile tax vans whilst travelling but not the fixed ones.should put them in the end of the parkway than they scan to their hearts content.

It's possible that it's part of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition scheme that's due to be established. From what I understand the software checks the reg number against data held in the PNC and alerts officers to any outstanding offences relating to that vehicle or its owner.

its a camera seeking out illegals - part of Blairs clampdown....if you are spotted then you'll get swooped down on by the 'ghetto bird' which is overhead almost constantly these days...

do you reckon they are getting airmiles?

Originally posted by lalaland
On my motorbike I keep the tax disk on the front wheel facing sideways, so it's still not visible to the cameras.

My number plate is also on the rear and if I was dishonest I would be using that to my advantage with the Truvelo speed cameras that face forward as they wouldn't catch my number plate or face, but I'm honest and stick to the law.

Nice benefit for us on two wheels though :D

Good on ya lalaland:thumbsup:
I can't understand riders who wizz past cameras at warp speed either on both wheels or just the rear.
They're just gonna spoil it for the majority as usual.
Read in bike press that government have option to approve new forward/rear facing cameras (truvelo, specs etc):sad:

How about the cats eye cameras?..................SCARY!:shocked:

Slightly OT but still about cameras on Penistone Rd., I noticed on the way into town this morning a new speed camera warning sign.

As well as the usual camera sign it also had a 30 mph speed limit roundel. Perhaps they're starting to feel guilty about all the money they rake in from that camera ?? :rolleyes:

Originally posted by willman
good idea for cameras, i have seen the mobile tax vans whilst travelling but not the fixed ones.should put them in the end of the parkway than they scan to their hearts content.

If you go down the parkway when you pass under the bridge(just after the speed camera) look up and you will see 3 small rounded cream devices over each lane,they sound like the ones people are talking about.

Originally posted by claycraft
These ones are cylindrical (sp), "Traffic Master" type being more square. Definatly not the run of the mill roadside variety (Gatso, Truvello etc).
They've been there quite a while now.

These are the same as the ones on the bridge above the parkway.

Originally posted by unners
These are the same as the ones on the bridge above the parkway. Almost identical apart from the ones on Penistone Rd were wireless


They are number plate recognition cameras with the processor built in to read the plate
Made by the same company and nearly the same as the ones on the roof of the Volvo police cars

any questions?:thumbsup:

They have erected some on a lamp post outside the train station

Originally posted by ROBERT
Almost identical apart from the ones on Penistone Rd were wireless


They are number plate recognition cameras with the processor built in to read the plate
Made by the same company and nearly the same as the ones on the roof of the Volvo police cars

any questions?:thumbsup:
Yep :) I'm curious as to what they are used for - is it purely for tax reasons or anything else? I've seen small cameras above each lane of a motorway too - are these the same again, or something different (maybe just keeping track of road traffic)?

Well it's either my bad eyesight but I didn't see these mystery cameras last night.. They were there on Monday though I'm sure :suspect:

They could be there to monitor us all, help reduce crime etc. or maybe even trying out the hardware for a possible congestion charge system similar to London's.

Originally posted by lalaland
They could be there to monitor us all, help reduce crime etc. or maybe even trying out the hardware for a possible congestion charge system similar to London's.

all that crime that goes on in your car?

Originally posted by Cyclone
all that crime that goes on in your car? There are a lot of crimes commited with or in cars, this sort of technology allows the Police to know who's on what road and when.

If there's a report of a stolen car and it passes one of these cameras then the control room will know immediately and call out the location to the patrols who can then respond.

Sounds a bit big brotherish, but there are positives and negatives here.

UPDATE!!

The cameras on penistone rd are gone!!!!

I saw a council Street Force van yesterday doing something with the wires from the cameras, and this morning they are gone.

(it's become my daily obsession to look on my way to work!):help:

Originally posted by rich951
Yep :) I'm curious as to what they are used for - is it purely for tax reasons or anything else? I've seen small cameras above each lane of a motorway too - are these the same again, or something different (maybe just keeping track of road traffic)?
The ones in question see in Infrared to produce a black and white image which means they are only any good for reading number plates
although they can be fitted with a colour overview camera to produce a general picture as well

The ones above the motorway are the same (I think) the same company make square cameras which look identical

As for there use it depends on who specified them if it was the police it will probably be tax/insurance and security
where as if it was the lexus garage (not very likely) it could be to monitor passing trade

Originally posted by ROBERT


As for there use it depends on who specified them if it was the police it will probably be tax/insurance and security
where as if it was the lexus garage (not very likely) it could be to monitor passing trade

I doubt "Street Force" would be on the Lexus payroll......................but you never know:suspect::wink::D

the cameras you refer to are for watching traffic,nothing to do with speed or dodgy tax they just monitor the flow of traffic and relay it to the radio stations so they can update the traffic bullitens and warn drivers of the heavy traffic or any other problems,hope this has solved the mystery for you.

Originally posted by dlee
the cameras you refer to are for watching traffic,nothing to do with speed or dodgy tax they just monitor the flow of traffic and relay it to the radio stations so they can update the traffic bullitens and warn drivers of the heavy traffic or any other problems,hope this has solved the mystery for you.
Hope your right dlee:thumbsup:

Where'd ya get your info?

Originally posted by dlee
the cameras you refer to are for watching traffic,nothing to do with speed or dodgy tax they just monitor the flow of traffic and relay it to the radio stations so they can update the traffic bullitens and warn drivers of the heavy traffic or any other problems,hope this has solved the mystery for you.

Surely the ones for monitoring traffic are the ones up poles with the capability of turning 360 degrees, so the guy watching can have a full view of what is required. These can be viewed on the internet by ourselves.

Not like looking down a toilet roll tube one camera per lane!

From today's Star:-

The number's up for criminals on the road
POLICE chiefs have unveiled their latest weapon in the fight against crime in South Yorkshire.
New specialist cameras which recognise every illegal car on the road and an intercept team which tracks them down have been launched by police.

The high-tech cameras record every number plate that passes by - identifying stolen cars, those without tax and insurance and those registered to disqualified drivers.
They also flag up cars which have been used in crimes and those associated with criminals and suspects.
The cameras are linked to national and regional databases run by the police and organisations including the DVLA.
At the official launch of South Yorkshire's first intercept team - officers who are working around the clock to react to vehicles singled out by the cameras - it emerged 40 arrests have been made since the team began working at the beginning of October.
Five stolen cars have been recovered, a number of cars have been seized for having no insurance and £250,000 worth of illegal cigarettes have been discovered.
Firearms and drugs have also been found in some cars and addresses searched afterwards, and 78 fixed penalty notices have been issued for a range of offences.
Insp Simon Slack, who runs the intercept team, said the Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras identify cars with criminals inside who might otherwise have slipped through the net.
"For years we stopped vehicles we were suspicious about based on our experience and intuition, but these cameras remove that randomness. The ones we are stopping now are those we have intelligence about and where there is a possibility of there being somebody inside we have an interest in," he said.
"This is about denying criminals the use of the road. We have an extensive network of cameras across South Yorkshire and when funding is available we will be extending it, so that there will be nowhere for criminals to hide.
"All criminals use cars and this new system helps us identify them earlier than before.
"If a vehicle is on any of the databases around the country and passes one of our cameras we will intercept it if there is reason to do so."
Chief Constable Med Hughes said: "This shows we are committed to using modern technology to deal with crime and we are already seeing excellent results.
"The initiative forms part of a national strategy aimed at making our roads safer and reducing crime.
"For the law-abiding motorist it can only be good news - they won't get stopped as much because the focus is on criminals and vehicles we have intelligence about."
Temporary Chief Supt Chris Thompson, head of operational support services, said: "The dedicated intercept team means crimninals are now at greater risk of detection."

Early success on launch day
FIVE suspected car thieves were arrested within minutes of each other yesterday when a stolen car picked up by one of the new cameras led the intercept team to two others.
The drama began when officers tracked a stolen car picked up on the city's Parkway and followed it into the Esso garage on Prince of Wales Road, Manor.
Other officers called to assist arrived at the garage seconds later and spotted two other vehicles stopping dead in their tracks and reversing up a slip road trying to avoid being seen. But it was too late - they had been spotted.
One car sped away from the garage and was pursued by the police car while another drove off over fields and was torched seconds later, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the air.
The car followed by the police was tracked down a few streets away on Castlebeck Court and the driver was arrested and taken away for questioning.
Suspects from the torched car were picked up by officers after the force helicopter was drafted in to help scour the area.
Sgt Angus Watson, from the intercept team, said the camera databases were updated daily to ensure officers only act on accurate information when stopping motorists.
"You just never know what vehicles are going to be picked up and who you are going to find inside - it could be someone who has been outstanding for years," he said.
"This new system is giving us the opportunity to target vehicles that may have gone unnoticed in the past, particularly the newer cars that are stolen these days and don't automatically attract your attention.
"Criminals using the roads never know where we are going to be and when we are going to stop them - that is the beauty of this."
16 November 2005


Mystery solved???????????????

That's why there was a team of bobbies jumping out into the path of certain vehicles on Queens Rd yesterday afternoon then...... until the beat van came round with the butties and coffees - then they seemed to lose interest.

Originally posted by Captain_Scarlet
If they're not yellow they don't catch you speeding (note I say speeding) (grey boxes catch you driving through orange/red lights)

In Manchester / After the Snake they are some ungodly blue/greenish colour but they are not yellow - then again they have an alerter before hand to indicate you...