practical
Paris ring-road radar that flashed at 30km/h to be moved and fines cancelled
Thousands of fines estimated to have been issued each day
A speed camera on the Paris ring-road has been removed and fines issued to those caught by it cancelled following widespread criticism.
The camera, located at the Porte de Montreuil exit of the périphérique ring road, was only installed on August 24 but was quickly noted for issuing fines to many drivers, including 18 in under five minutes.
This led to backlash on social media from drivers, with motorist association 40 millions d'automobilistes highlighting the camera and leading calls for it to be removed.
The Paris police prefecture, which originally defended the installation claiming it was installed to check drivers were following temporary speed restrictions in the area, has now decided to remove the camera.
“Due to inconsistent operation caused by technical difficulties with the device, the issuance of fines was suspended,” the prefecture said to media outlet RTL.
Estimates from 40 millions d'automobilistes suggest that the camera led to the issue of fines totalling some €750,000 daily.
Camera to be moved
The stretch of road where the camera was located had a temporary speed limit of 30km/h, down from the standard 50 km/h, due to works being carried out in the area.
Drivers however report that the change was not clear.
“Work and discussions are underway between state agencies and the City of Paris to identify a new location for the camera and stabilise its operation, particularly in relation to the progress of the construction work over time,” the police prefecture said.
Around 80,000 vehicles pass through the area per day, and work is set to last until 2030.
Speed cameras can occasionally incorrectly flash drivers, including cases where two vehicles are flashed at once – although some more modern cameras can distinguish between vehicles.
Drivers are protected by margins of error from speed camera flashes – read more about these in our article here.
