More than 150 speed cameras enforcing limits on England's smart motorways have been out of action since December last year, affecting 440 miles of major roads, National Highways has confirmed. The agency says a fix is undergoing rigorous testing, but critics warn the failure may have made the roads more dangerous.
Cameras offline for nearly a year
The cameras, which enforce variable speed limits, have not been operational across a significant portion of the smart motorway network since December 2024. National Highways officials acknowledged the 'anomaly' is impacting many miles of these roads, which rely on technology to manage traffic flow and safety.
The disclosure has prompted renewed criticism from political figures and motoring organisations, who argue the prolonged failure undermines the purpose of smart motorways. The Conservative Party's shadow transport minister, Greg Smith, accused the Labour government of failing to address the issue promptly.
Political and safety concerns raised
Greg Smith said: "Labour Party government's smart motorways aren't looking very smart when up to 440 miles are without functioning cameras. Ministers need to take responsibility, come clean about this failure and get the system working properly." He added: "It's clear that this has potentially made smart motorways even more deadly. Labour needs to get a grip."
The comments come as road safety experts highlight the risks posed by non-functioning speed enforcement. Edmund King, president of the AA, noted that a review commissioned in January has still not produced conclusions. "The review was commissioned in January, yet ten months later we are still waiting to see its conclusions," he said.
Experts demand transparency and action
King stressed that motorists must have "absolute confidence that motorway technology is accurate, reliable and properly tested, especially on 'smart' motorways that rely on technology and variable speeds." He added: "It is particularly concerning that the technical solution is apparently still undergoing testing almost a year after the problem was identified. We need action on what went wrong and what safeguards are being introduced to prevent similar failures."
Rod Dennis, road safety expert at the RAC, said malfunctioning cameras do more than allow speeding to go unpunished. "Malfunctioning speed cameras on smart motorways do more than just let speeding drivers get away with breaking the law and endangering lives – they further undermine confidence in the very types of road we know drivers already have serious misgivings about," he said. "The safety of everyone using smart motorways depends on people sticking to variable speed limits."
National Highways response
A spokesman for National Highways said: "Speeding offences continue to be detected and prosecuted. A range of enforcement measures are in place to help keep road users safe." The spokesman added: "A fix for the impacted cameras is going through rigorous testing."
No timeline has been given for when the cameras will be fully restored, but the agency maintains that other enforcement measures remain active across the network.
