New enforcement cameras set to cut road danger and congestion

26 July 2021
TfL has awarded a contract for new smart cameras to enforce civil traffic rules at junctions
"We're determined to meet our Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury and our partnership with PDS to deliver these innovative new cameras will give us much-needed extra capability to tackle danger hot-spots on our road network"
Will Norman
London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner
  • The new cameras can be moved around TfL's road network to where they are most needed
  • 76 per cent of collisions on the capital's roads happen at junctions and the cameras will help to make junctions safer for everyone

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a contract to P Ducker Systems (PDS) for at least 50 new enforcement cameras, which will play a vital part in helping TfL to meet its Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury on the road network.

Each year more than 4,000 people are killed or seriously injured on London's roads and 76 per cent of collisions happen at junctions - many of which involve moving vehicles contravening decriminalised road traffic rules.

The new cameras, which can be moved around the road network to where they are most needed, use cutting edge technology to enforce banned turns, bus lanes, yellow box junctions and weight restrictions. The deployable cameras can be adapted for each new location, ensuring that the rules for each particular junction can be enforced fairly and efficiently, with separate cameras for each traffic rule. A trial of the cameras carried out in 2020 saw an improvement in compliance of up to 60 per cent in six months.

The ability to relocate the cameras also means that they can be used to target non-compliance 'hot-spots'. This capability ensures that TfL can target junctions with the most dangerous driver behaviour and can remove cameras from locations where enforcement activity has been successful in cutting danger and making drivers' behaviour safer.
Improving enforcement at junctions on the TfL road network will also help to cut congestion on the capital's roads, by keeping junctions clear and ensuring traffic can move through them as intended.

The new cameras will be introduced to the TfL road network from this autumn and TfL will be closely monitoring how successful the cameras have been at cutting road danger, reducing congestion and improving bus journey reliability. All money recovered by drivers being penalised is reinvested in maintaining a safe and efficient road network for everyone travelling in the capital. The cameras will be used for enforcement of civil traffic rules only and will be fully compliant with data protection legislation.

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said:

'Most collisions on London's roads happen at junctions and it's absolutely vital for everybody's safety that we can enforce effectively against the minority of drivers who break the rules. We're determined to meet our Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury and our partnership with PDS to deliver these innovative new cameras will give us much-needed extra capability to tackle danger hot-spots on our road network. We'll be closely monitoring the success of this new technology and will continue to work closely with the police and others to keep our road network safe, efficient and sustainable for everybody in the capital.'

Andrew Bramley, PDS Operations Director, said:

'We are excited by the opportunity to work with TfL and partners, in delivering such an important project. It's a great example of how our innovative transport technology solutions can help benefit clients, road users and residents with improved safety and reduced congestion across the transport network.'

TfL continues to work on a number of major programmes to make London's roads and the vehicles using them safer. TfL's Safer Junctions programme is making life-saving changes at some of the capital's most dangerous and intimidating junctions.

To date, TfL has completed work at a total of 42 junctions, with construction expected to start on more schemes later this year.

TfL's world-first Direct Vision Standard, which reduces lethal blind spots on lorries, is already helping to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries. The scheme requires owners of Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) weighing more than 12 tonnes to apply for a free permit that assigns vehicles a star rating based on how much the driver can see directly through their cab windows in order to be able to drive in London. Since its introduction, more than 70,000 HGVs have had safe systems fitted, improving protection for people walking, cycling or riding e-scooters or motorcycles and saving lives.

Speed limits have also been reduced to 20mph on a number of TfL roads across the capital and TfL is currently consulting on reducing the speed limit on 13km of roads within Westminster.

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