THE GATSO TYPE 24c SPEED CAMERA

The Gatso Type 24c Speed measuring equipment is required by the Secretary of State as with all such devices, to be Type Approved for enforcement use. The appropriate approval in respect of the Gatso Type 24c Speed camera is The Road Traffic Offenders (Prescribed Devices) Order 1992 (S.I 1992/1209).

The Gatso Type 24c Speed camera is a radar activated speed measuring device and is required by the Secretary of State to be Type Approved for enforcement use. The appropriate approval in respect of the Gatsometer Type 24 + AUS was made on 24/6/1992 approving the device for use from 01/07/1992 and has the type approval number: ISBN-0-11-341046-8.

To obtain Type Approval the equipment needs to be independently tested (With equipment of a known scientific standard) to extremely high standards to measure the accuracy of the device. The device is tested to check that it meets high standards in environmental factors such as extreme heat/cold and waterproofing.

In order to comply with Type Approval requirements, the accuracy of the equipment must be +/- 1mph.

Once in use, the device has an in-built calibration check which is activated every time the camera is loaded and unloaded and this is shown on the survey sheet which may subsequently be produced in court if required.

In addition to this, the device is returned to the manufacturer for an annual calibration check as required by the Home Office. The camera, control unit, radar and connecting lead are returned as a set and once checked by the manufacturer, they are returned with a new calibration certificate.

The Gatso speed camera can detect offences in either direction. It can also distinguish between large and small vehicles and different speed thresholds can be programmed into the system to detect this.

Should any problem occur within the system the camera will STOP. It will not operate any more until such time as the operator clears the system down by solving the problem (i.e. fuse replacement/end of film, etc). Immediately after solving any problem the system self calibrates again. If a problem were to persist then the film would be rejected and the camera returned to the manufacturers for attention/repair as necessary.

A useful publication has been produced by the Home Office and is entitled �A Guide to Calibration requirements for Traffic Enforcement Equipment � Police Scientific Development Branch � Home Office Policy Directorate- Publication No 18/98 which may be obtained via the following link: http://scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications-2/road-safety-publications/18-98-Guide-to-Calibratio1.pdf?view=Binary

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