Just posted this on the 8P part of the forumn but figure it might be useful to people looking at this thread only:
Just a bit of local information/warnings that people might find useful ahead of tomorrow:
Speed Trap Camera vans.
- The M4 is one of the only stretches of motorway to be allowed permanent patrol and speed checks via police and or civilian manned Camera vans. They are allowed to do this between jcn 14 (Wantage) and 18 (Bath)
- if you are travelling Westbound there is a particularly high risk after about 8 in the morning, believe me i know as I travel up and down this mway and under these bridges 4 - 6 times a week and have the morning in court to prove it!
- although the whole stretch of approx 40 miles is patrolled there are only ever 2 places that the camera vans are seen.
- the first traveling eastbound is between marker posts 141.1 and 142, so I would drop the speed right down after the 139 marker, if you wait until you see the van it will be likely too late as they film from 600meters away and the shape of the road is such that you will not have much more than that by the time they are in sight.
- the other place they stop is between marker posts 149.5 and 150 so again go easy from about 148.
- if you are traveling Eastbound then the risk is much lower but occasionally you will get a van on the bridge of Jcn 18, but this is very rare as it is a busy roundabout and they can't park hear safely in the ice cream van (as I affectionately know them) sometimes you get a patrol car just sat on the grass verge as you come off the jcn.
Anyway hope that's useful to anyone making the trip tomorrow.
Ed
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