The issue, described by officials as a technical “anomaly”, involved variable speed cameras failing to update quickly enough when speed limits changed on overhead gantry signs. As a result, some drivers were penalised even though the speed limit had already been raised, while others were recorded before having sufficient time to slow down after a reduction.
According to the Department for Transport, the problem is not linked to a single incident or short time period. Instead, the review covers enforcement actions dating back to 2021.
In a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament published on 16 December 2025, the Department for Transport confirmed that around 2,650 incorrect speed-camera activations had been identified since 2021. These activations represent instances where a camera may have recorded a vehicle as speeding because it had not synchronised correctly with a newly displayed speed limit.
Not all of these activations resulted in fines or penalty points, as some cases were filtered out before enforcement action was taken. However, others progressed to fixed penalties, points or court proceedings and are now being reviewed.
How the problem came to light
National Highways identified the issue internally in autumn 2025 and reported it to ministers. The Department for Transport then made the matter public through a parliamentary statement, confirming that some variable speed enforcement cameras did not update at the same time as overhead speed limit signs, and this mismatch could lead to incorrect enforcement.
The disclosure triggered a nationwide review of affected camera sites on England’s strategic road network.
Independent investigation ordered
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, has ordered an independent investigation into how the fault occurred and how it was managed.
This, too, was confirmed in the Written Ministerial Statement, which states that the inquiry will examine how long the anomaly went undetected, whether existing governance and oversight arrangements at National Highways were adequate, and whether earlier intervention should have occurred.
Read more: Electrification, the stiff collar of road transport: uncomfortable, costly, but no longer optional
Does the issue affect lorries?
Official government statements do not distinguish between vehicle types. They consistently refer to “drivers” and “motorists”, without excluding heavy goods vehicles. This means that lorry drivers and haulage operators may also have been affected if a truck was recorded by one of the variable speed cameras during the period covered by the review. The government has not published a breakdown showing how many of the incorrect activations involved HGVs.
Enforcement decisions are taken by police forces using camera data supplied by National Highways, and the review applies to all incorrect enforcement actions identified, regardless of vehicle category.
