Currently reading: Police to use public dashcam footage

Department for Transport is to invest £100,000 in new police unit as part of string of measures to boost road safety

The Department for Transport (DfT) will invest £100,000 in setting up a new police unit to analyse dashcam footage and other video evidence submitted by the public.

The new unit is one of 50 measures announced as part of a two-year action plan to improve road safety being developed by the DfT. The study is primarily focused on making roads safer for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians.

While no specifics have been given over how the submission of dash and helmet cam footage would work, the national back-office police unit analysing it will be modelled on a pilot scheme, named Operation Snap, that was run in Wales in 2016. 

The DfT proposals said that any footage submitted must be clear and accompanied by a witness statement to prevent spiteful allegations. It will likely be able to enforce dangerous and careless driving, along with offences such as jumping red lights or using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Other proposals contained within the DfT report include a review of the Highway Code, evaluation of the wider use of 20mph zones around schools, the creation of education programmes on safely passing cyclists and a review of parking laws, including a clampdown on parking in cycling lanes.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.