Speedmeter Type Approval and LTI 20.20 acquiring the wrong target
FOI 8401 We have received a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the following: “Please find a letter below concerning …
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FOI 8401
We have received a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the following:
“Please find a letter below concerning Home Office FOI 4802 - which is published on the internet at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/freedom-of-information/released-information/foi-archive-research1/4802-speedmeter-camera-LT120.20?version=1
I am writing in connection with FOI 4802, dated 2 November 2006, which was produced in response to a letter of mine dated 13 October 2006.
In this FOI you dismiss the idea of the LTI 20.20 acquiring the wrong target, stating that it always generates an errors message. This Home Office response was in contradiction of both my opinion, and the stated opinion of the device’s inventor Jeremy Dunne.
Since that time I have demonstrated that Home Office FOI 4802 is incorrect, by reproducing exactly the scenario I described in my letter dated 13 October 2006.
I attach a report, which explains why the effect happens (beam spread, starting on page 42). I demonstrated the effect using a real police system at Elvington on 2 December 2006. The same effect was obtained with the police operator on that day, a PC Howard Fordham. Example errors are shown in the attached report (beam spread example 3, starting on page 54).
The attached report also documents a number of other concerns I have with the LTI 20.20
Please could you correct the misleading information you are putting out in FOI 4802 - which is currently published on your website.
I draw your attention to the Home Office publication “The Speed Meter Handbook” which states very clearly:
FAILURE
A speed meter will be considered to fail a type approval test if it displays an incorrect reading of speed outside the tolerance range of error or if it displays a speed when no measurement should be possible. The display of a blank screen or defined symbol in recognition of an incorrect reading is acceptable.
The incorrect readings obtained by both myself and PC Howard Fordham, with the device being operated correctly and in accordance with ACPO guidelines, constitute a Home Office type approval failure, and therefore type approval on the LTI 20.20 should be revoked.
I would be happy to demonstrate these errors to you, as they are very easily reproduced.”
We released the following information on 14 December 2007.