Future system specifications for traffic enforcement equipment

Automatic red light and speed cameras have since 1988 and 1992 respectively been used by the police to obtain primary evidence of traffic offences. There is now substantial evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing the number of speed and red light related accidents. Evidence from automatic traffic enforcement equipment is currently recorded on conventional photographic film. There is a legal requirement to send a Notice of Intention to Prosecute within 14 days of the offence. This means that the film has to be collected and developed, viewed, a decision taken on whether to prosecute and the vehicle keeper located all in a short period of time. There are, therefore, some obvious advantages in moving from photographic to electronic imaging and sending digitised images to a central point over a data network. This presents new issues for maintaining the integrity and acceptance of the evidence by the courts; the article explains some of these issues and how they are being resolved