Drivers could see insurance refund and speeding cases overturned due to faulty cameras

An investigation into a technical failure affecting variable speed limit cameras on England’s motorways and major A roads has now been widened, raising the prospect that thousands more cases dating back to 2019 could be reviewed.

Transport minister Lord Hendy said this week that motorists who were incorrectly prosecuted may be able to seek compensation if they can prove they suffered financial losses, such as increased insurance premiums.

National Highways is examining a fault that caused a delay between speed limit signs changing and cameras enforcing the new limit which meant some drivers may have been penalised even though they were complying with the displayed speed at the time.

What went wrong with the cameras?

The issue centres on an upgrade to variable speed limit cameras, which are commonly used on ‘smart’ motorways and busy A roads.

According to the Department for Transport (DfT), a technical lag meant some cameras continued enforcing an old speed limit for a short period after electronic signs had already changed. In those cases, drivers could have been recorded as speeding despite driving within the displayed limit.

A total of 154 cameras – covering around 10% of England’s motorway and major A-road network – were affected, National Highways confirmed.

It instructed its camera supplier to pause the transfer of speed limit data to police forces in October 2025 to prevent further wrongful prosecutions. An independent review has since been launched, led by Tracey Westall, a non-executive director at the DfT.

How many drivers could be affected?

When the issue was first disclosed publicly in December, the DfT said 2,650 erroneous camera activations had been identified since 2021.

However, the scope of the investigation has now been extended back to 2019, when the camera upgrade programme began, meaning the number of affected motorists could rise significantly.

Police forces across England have already cancelled tens of thousands of speed awareness courses linked to the fault, while drivers who received penalty points have been told they will be contacted directly if their case is affected.

Where prosecutions are found to be incorrect, drivers should have penalties overturned, points removed and fines reimbursed, the DfT has said.

Could drivers reclaim higher insurance costs?

The most significant new development is the suggestion that motorists may be able to claim back knock-on financial losses, including higher car insurance premiums.

Lord Hendy told Parliament that drivers wrongly convicted of speeding might be entitled to seek compensation if they can demonstrate they suffered losses as a result.

That could be important for many motorists, as even a single speeding conviction can push up the cost of car insurance for years.

NimbleFins research shows that drivers with motoring convictions typically pay up to 20% more for their car insurance compared to before they were handed penalty points.

You can see how much a conviction can affect premiums, and how long insurers take offences into account, here: Convicted driver insurance – how much more do drivers pay?

For drivers who were wrongly penalised, this raises the prospect that insurance costs could have been inflated for reasons entirely outside their control.

The DfT has stressed that drivers do not need to take action immediately. Anyone affected by the faulty cameras is expected to be contacted directly by the relevant police force as part of the review process.

However, motorists who believe they were wrongly caught speeding may want to:

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