Speed Camera Locators

February 2007

With more than 6,000 fixed speed cameras in the UK, plus hundreds of mobile sites, it's perhaps no surprise that around two million drivers every year get caught. And with about half the cameras in 30mph zones, all of us could do with a little help in keeping on the right side of the law.

As the Road Safety Act is set to outlaw radar and laser detectors, drivers will have to rely on the global positioning system (GPS) and a database of camera sites to ensure they stay below the limit. But that doesn't mean less choice, as there are more locators around, and many are combination units incorporating sat-nav.

We tested the best on a 14-mile route with more than 20 Gatsos, Truvelos and mobile camera sites.

It's bad enough to get no warning, but false alarms are a real pain, so we wanted each unit to spot all our sites yet ignore cameras monitoring oncom-ing traffic. GPS accuracy was also vital to stop alerts for traps you've passed.

We looked for visual and voice warnings, rating both for clarity, and wanted to see a prevailing speed limit displayed. Price was the final factor, based on the initial cost plus the first subscription users would buy - normally a year's deal after six months, split into a single annual payment (pa) or monthly instalments (pm).

Verdict

If you have yet to buy a sat-nav unit, check out the Road Angel 7000. It performed well in terms of spotting cameras, and finished just ahead of the Snooper Syrius, with the Talex 6000T not far behind.

Buyers who only want a locator should still go for the Talex Lite, with its great price and performance. The Road Pilot Micro GO is also a decent buy, while Road Angel’s Nokia solution is well worth a look.

COMBINATION LOCATORS
1. Road Angel 7000
2. Snooper Syrius
3. Talex 6000T

STANDALONE LOCATORS
1. Talex Lite
2. Road Pilot Micro GO
3. Road Angel Mobile

Top 3

1. Road Angel 7000
2. Talex Lite
3. Snooper Syrius

• Email a friend
• Print this page