SPEEDING company car drivers in Nottingham who hit the brakes when they see a speed camera will still be caught by new digital cameras. The new automatic SPECS speed cameras, which went live in the city on Friday, monitor average speeds over a controlled zone.

The cameras read vehicle number plates using digital technology, and measure average speeds between pairs of cameras mounted on blue columns which create 'speed controlled zones'.

The time it takes for vehicles to pass between the entry and exit camera pairs is used to calculate the average speed. If this exceeds the threshold set by the police, a speeding violation record is automatically generated. The record includes images of the registration plate, a colour image of the vehicle and text data including the time, date and average speed travelled between the entry and the exit point cameras. Unlike conventional speed cameras, no film is required and the system can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The £350,000 project is based on Nottingham's main link road into the city from the M1 at junction 26, which includes Nuthall Road and Western Boulevard, and has the worst record for road collision casualties in Nottinghamshire.

The speed cameras are being used as part of the Department of Environment Transport and the Regions' hypothecation pilot scheme, with Nottingham being one of eight areas nationwide taking part in the trial.

Under this system, the money raised from fixed penalty fines issued to speeding company car drivers and other motorists will be retained by the local authorities and police to fund the operational and administrative costs of speed cameras without raising any profit.