I thought, from what I have read on police sites, that they have to be highly visible, that the copper has to be visible too (ie in high vis jacket) or there has to be a warning sign on said stretch of road saying speed cameras?

I've only ever seen vans in a luminous yellow/gree. Quite a funky colour actually lol. I have also see a copper on a bike in a side road pointing a gun down the road, and one with the car parked round the corner and the camera on a tripod (all black).

the guidelines do state that, however they only guidelines and not law (as they are a law to themselves).

It's not that, it's the way the speed camera partnerships claim to be doing this in the name of safety. They aren't, they cause accidents by their very prescence inducing panic. Mostly money raising QUANGO's.

:iagree:

I've seen people, who were already comfortably within the ruling speed limit, braking hard for a BT van (which I'd seen from half a mile away) just because the engineer was wearing a yellow traffic coat.

not that I always stick to limits...but if there wasn't such a generally laidback attitude to speed and speeding and if people where more aware of what the speed limit is, what speed they are doing and what is going on around/in front of them (due care and attention?) then they wouldn't be any suddenly, unnecessary, accident causing braking :confused:

as for who gets the money

Swindon doesn't

Council scraps speed cameras - because they are 'a blatant tax on the motorist' | Mail Online

thames valley seems to have a lot of speed cameras at the moment with no film in either.

AFAIK Camera partnerships have to, as mentioned stick to certain guidlines on vehicle markings and locations etc.

Real police do not need to do this, they can stand where they want, dont have to advertise it (although some do) and can use whatever vehicle they want. Although, in this era, most will be in more visible areas and dressed accordingly. I beleive the only stipulation is that they are in uniform.

Steve