Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Speed cameras may be there to encourage motorists to keep to the limit, but they actually cause traffic jams.
The Dutch transport ministry and police admit drivers often slam on the brakes when they see speed cameras, and the knock-on effect leads to more traffic congestion. So from this week the new protocol is that when there is a danger of a tailback, police will remove the speed cameras.
Police operations expert Alfred van Beilen explained: “People brake, and that frequently has a domino effect on the drivers behind them. In the end that can lead to traffic jams.”
The Dutch are tough on drivers who break the speed limit, with some of the highest traffic fines in Europe. There is a “correction” of just 3km/h (or three per cent, if the speed is above 100km/h) and then every kilometre above the speed limit incurs a fine.
Dutch traffic information service VID has often complained about queues caused by police action and produced research in 2015 to highlight the problem.
In the first half of 2015, VID recorded 12 big hold-ups it claims were “100 per cent” caused by cameras, increasing to 23 in the final six months of the year - although there are no official figures.
The Independent