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Police withdraw speed detectors Police speed detectors 'reliable'
(about 2 hours later)
Traffic police in Scotland have been ordered to stop using handheld speed detecting equipment amid fears it could be affected by police radio waves. Police have reversed a decision to stop traffic officers in Scotland using handheld speed detecting equipment.
Road policing units were told to employ alternatives to the Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder (Vascar) system until further notice. There had been fears the Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder (Vascar) system could be affected by police radio waves.
It is thought police radios could be causing faults in the speed detectors. But the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) said Home Office scientists had now confirmed that they were reliable.
The system sees an officer pressing a button as a vehicle passes between two measured points. Acpos has reversed the initial advice to stop using the handheld devices.
It has been in use for 25 years. Road policing units had been told to employ alternatives to the system until further notice.
Strathclyde Police confirmed its officers had been asked to use alternative speed detectors while the concerns over the impact of the police radio system Airwave on the device were investigated. Road policing units with all forces in Scotland have been advised of a potential issue with three speed detection systems Acpos spokesman It had been suggested police radios could be causing faults in the speed detectors. We took the precaution of advising forces of a potential issue with the equipment and have now clarified the situation Chief Constable Kevin SmithAcpos
Ch Insp Andy Orr, of the force's road policing department, said: "There is a suggestion that the Vascar system might be affected by Airwave radio waves and the matter is currently being investigated by Strathclyde Police. However, Acpos said it had now received advice from the Home Office Scientific Development Branch that there was no possibility of interference when guidelines were followed by officers.
"Until such time that the matter has been fully investigated, a memo has been sent to officers asking them to use alternative speed detection equipment." Acpos said that the equipment had been tested and found to operate properly under the appropriate guidelines.
The force stressed Vascar was not the main speed detector in use - the focus was on other systems such as speed cameras and radar guns. Chief Constable Kevin Smith, chairman of the road policing business area of Acpos, said: "We are confident that the speed detection equipment being used by Scottish forces is reliable and as such we have advised forces that it should be used as normal.
If fears over its accuracy proved true, it is thought that many motorists caught speeding by Vascar could try to overturn their convictions. "We took the precaution of advising forces of a potential issue with the equipment and have now clarified the situation."
Vascar is a relatively basic speed measuring system operated manually by an officer.Vascar is a relatively basic speed measuring system operated manually by an officer.
Two landmarks are selected, such as a lamppost and a sign, and the distance between the objects is calculated. The time it takes for a vehicle to travel between the two sites is then measured.Two landmarks are selected, such as a lamppost and a sign, and the distance between the objects is calculated. The time it takes for a vehicle to travel between the two sites is then measured.
The officer presses a button as the vehicle passes the first landmark, and again as it passes the second to determine its speed.The officer presses a button as the vehicle passes the first landmark, and again as it passes the second to determine its speed.
Road collisions
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) said all eight of the country's forces had been asked not to use Vascar and two other speed detection systems.
An Acpos spokesman said: "Road policing units with all forces in Scotland have been advised of a potential issue with three speed detection systems - Vascar, Police Pilot and Provida.
"They have been advised not to use them for speed detection until the issue is resolved but to continue employing other speed detection systems.
"Despite this concern, all Scottish forces will be maintaining robust speed detection activities above and beyond those carried out by the Scottish Safety Camera Partnership.
"Inappropriate speed is still a factor in road collisions throughout Scotland and motorists are advised to adhere to the law or they will face the full weight of enforcement and the courts."