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http://english.controleradar.org/speed-camera-technology.phphttp://driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving.inchttp://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/personal/mainresults/nts19962001/sednationaltravelsurveyd5240.pdf Question 1:

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Cars can now travel faster (more advanced) 7mph top speed for the first ever car http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_top_speed_of_the_first_car_ever_invetedCars nowadays reach a top speed of about 120-130 mph. (average family car e.gford focus)http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/2008-ford-focus-ar43273.html

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Fuel has improved (more access)

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People have further to travel for work. Faster transport is needed.http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_has_the_speed_limit_changed_in_the_last_100_ yearsIt changed because vehicles are faster and road construction has improved.1 ) Once the Locomotive Act 1865, which restricted the speed of vehicles to 4mph inopen country and 2mph in towns, was repealed in the 1870s, there were no speedlimits in the UK until the 1930s,Mass produced cars became available from the early 1900s but were mostly notcapable of high speeds. For example, the first Vauxhall produced in 1903 has a 6HPengine and was only capable of 20 mph. As cars became faster and therefore moredangerous, especially around towns and villages, a restriction on the top speed wasrequired.The Road Traffic Act in 1930 introduced the first Highway Code and speedrestrictions came into force in 1934 when a 30mph limit was brought in for roadsconsidered to be in 'built-up' areas. This particular limit is still used today. Other roadsstill had no limits.In 1965, a 70mph restriction for all roads, which included highways and motorwayswas introduced. Again this limit was for safety, as cars became faster and, also thenumber of fatalities from car accidents increased accordingly. New speed limits to curb fuel use were introduced during the fuel crisis in 1974(petrol had gone up to about 50p per gallon (about 10p per litre). The speed limits onmotorways remained at 70mph but on dual carriageways they were reduced to 60mphand on all other roads 50mph.

These temporary limits were removed in 1977 but the speed limit for cars andmotorbikes on motorways and dual carriageways was set at 70mph with singlecarriageways carrying a 60mph limit. These limits are still in force today. The newnational speed limit was justified by the reduction in accidents during the temporaryreduction to conserve fuel.Another speed limit introduced for safety in recent years to try and reduce injuries to pedestrians, especially children, was a 20mph limit introduced in 1999 This limit can be set by local councils and is mainly used in urban areas, such as residential roads(particularly narrow ones), town centres and around schools and nurseries. Thereasons are obvious - where there is a high concentration of pedestrians, it makessense to keep the limits slower to avoid collisions and accidents.Sometimes, temporary speed restrictions are put in place to encourage safer drivingduring road repairs with the intention of making the area safer and protect the work force. When on Motorways and faster roads, a 50mph restriction is often imposed.Although the National speed limit hasn't increased since it was introduced in the1960s, cars have generally become safer with improved visibility, lighting, tyretechnology, suspension, braking, steering, etc. There are many demands frommotorists' organisations to increase the speed limits, especially on motorways.Question 2:Great Britain= 70 mph on motorways, 60 mph on open road +30 mph in townsFrance=130 km/h (80 mph) (110 (68) mph when wet) on motorways, 90 km/h(55mph) on open road +50 km/h (31 mph)in townsSpain=120 km/h (75mph)on motorways, 100 km/h (62 mph)on open road +50 (31mph) km/h in townsQuestion 3:Who designed the first speed camera?Maurice Gatsonides Rally driver 1950’sUse radar (electromagnetic waves)Emmits waves at a given frequency and registers their returns. If an object is in the beam they will bounce off it. The time in which they were taken to return is thendivided by the speed of the waves, the speed of the car can be determined.

To determine speed, radars use the doppler effect. They measure and scale the frequencyvariation between the radio wave sent and the radio wave received (echo). If the object ismoving away, the frequency will be lower, if it is getting closer, the frequency will be higher.Depending on how much lower or higher the echo frquency is, it is possible to know at whatspeed the object is moving from the radar position. This technology is now quite old and easy to jam.