A shocking new research study has found that 46% of speed cameras in England may not even be operational.
This equates to almost half of all the speed cameras currently on England’s roads.
The research – which comes from dash camera manufacturer, Road Angel, and is all according to freedom of information requests (FOI) answered by 25 out of 44 UK police forces – found that, despite the fact most motorists will immediately adjust and lower their speed the second we see a bright yellow speed camera, we probably don’t need to do so as there’s nearly a 50% chance the camera’s not even working anyway.
When it comes to the areas of England where the least speed cameras are in operation, Northamptonshire has come out on top, as the research found that all eight fixed speed cameras in the region were inactive.
Derbyshire has more fixed speed cameras out of action than any other region (93), with only 20 of the 113 across the county capable of catching speeding motorists.
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New study finds almost half of all speed cameras in England are inactive / Credit: The AA | Josh Turpie (via Unsplash)
Along with Derbyshire, Essex (110), and Devon and Cornwall (110), are the regions with the highest number of fixed speed cameras – however, each region currently has at least 40% incapable of catching speeding drivers.
Staggeringly, only two police forces that responded to the FOI request had all speed cameras working.
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At the other end of the spectrum, all speed cameras in Suffolk are operational, with the next best region being the West Midlands – which currently has only 5% of its speed cameras standing inactive, meaning that 62 out of 65 devices are currently operational.
“If a camera is inactive and remains so for many months or even years at a time then it begs the question, why is it there?,” Road Angel founder, Gary Digva, commented on the findings from the new research study.
“Yes, it may still play a part in encouraging traffic to slow down, but it could also act to distract drivers and potentially cause an accident.
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It’s all according to freedom of information requests (FOI) answered by 25 out of 44 UK police forces / Credit: Jenoptik & TfGM
“Our view is that if cameras are present then drivers should be able to feel assured that they are working. If they are non-operational then they should be removed, and that is why we are calling on police forces and local authorities across the country to carry out an audit of cameras and remove any non-operational devices as quickly as possible.”
Speeding drivers were warned they’re more likely get caught, as although these new ‘spot speed’ VECTOR-SR cameras – which are developed by Jenoptik, and have been funded through the Mayor’s Challenge Fund (MCF) – are are also painted an eye-catching bright yellow and will be in operation 24/7 like the speed cameras were all familiar with, they do work slightly differently.
Unlike older-style cameras, these new ‘ultra’ speed cameras don’t require painted lines on the road, and also use infra-red low-light technology – which means they no longer ‘flash’ at speeding drivers.
Featured Image – Andrew Pym (via Flickr)
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Spike in antisemitic incidents reported after Manchester synagogue terror attack
Emily Sergeant
A new report has revealed that there was a rise in antisemitic incidents reported following the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and during the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
In the wake of the attack, the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said 40 antisemitic incidents were reported on 2 October last year, and a further 40 were reported the day after – more than half of which involved direct reactions to the deadly attack.
These were the highest daily totals in 2025.
A spike in antisemitic incidents were reported after the Manchester synagogue terror attack / Credit: Google Maps | GMP
Three of the reported incidents on 2 and 3 October involved ‘face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people’, according to the CST.
39 of the reported incidents were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions.
The Manchester synagogue attack was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the CST started recording incidents in 1984.
Overall, 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents were recorded in 2025 – which is said to be up 4% on the incidents recorded in the year before – and the CST revealed that this the second-highest annual total ever recorded.
There was also a spike in reported anti-Jewish hate incidents following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December of last year too, the CST said.
Dave Rich, who is the director of police at CST, told Sky News in a statement: “We need a more robust approach to the kind of extremism that drives antisemitism.
“Jewish people in Britain used to be able to go about their lives without ever thinking about antisemitism, and now it’s the topic of conversation around every dinner table. That’s new.
“It feels for a lot of Jewish people like we’re in a different world now, the atmosphere is different, the climate has changed for Jewish people and the amount of antisemitism is part of that.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Trailer released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed all across Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new romcom that’s set and filmed all across Manchester has been released.
The film, titled Finding Emily, tells the story of a lovesick musician, played by Spike Fearn, who meets his dream girl on a night out, but ends up with the wrong phone number, and so teams up with a driven psychology student, played by Angourie Rice, in a bid to find her.
Together, the unlikely duo spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
The film – which is directed by Alicia MacDonald, and based on a screenplay written by Rachel Hirons – is produced by Working Title Films, is set in the fictional Manchester City University, and is due to be distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures across the UK and internationally this spring.
The talented ensemble cast groups together big names like Minnie Driver with rising stars like Ella Maisy Purvis, Yali Topal Margalith, and Kat Ronney, as well as other established actors including Timothy Innes and Nadia Parkes.
Filming took place in Manchester between August and September 2024.
The two and a half-minute trailer has been shared with the world today, and when we say it’s a Manc film, we mean it… we quite literally lost count of how many of our city’s famous locations can be spotted in just the trailer alone.
The trailer has been released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures & Focus Features (via YouTube)
There’s everything from Manchester Central Library and Piccadilly Records, to Canal Street and the Gay Village, the Northern Quarter, the Crown & Kettle pub in Ancoats, and even the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square featured for all to see, alongside what’ll, presumably, be dozens of other famous locations.
Oh, and not to mention, if you keep your eyes peeled when watching the trailer, you can even see a small clip of Stockport band Blossoms playing a gig in there too.
Emily Sergeant -
19th December 2023 
