The General Directorate of Traffic has expanded its radar staff. Again. On this occasion, the protagonists are mobile devices: the bidding process was closed last June and now we know the details about it. There will be seventy new cinemometers and they have cost less than expected.
As reflected in the report of the Ministry of the Interior, the seventy mobile radars will serve “as a complement to those currently used to carry out the surveillance that is incumbent on the speed of the road network in the most effective way possible.” These devices are used both by the Local Police and by the Traffic Civil Guard, who will receive the aforementioned reinforcement. That’s the way it is, will join the 545 that, until now, were included in the DGT template.
Just over 600,000 euros
As we said before, last summer we informed you about the contract published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) for the acquisition of new mobile radars. One of the specifications contained the bidding process, open until June 20, and the budget that was available for the purchase of the seventy devices: 1.3 million euros.
Apparently only a couple of companies showed up. The selection of one of them has been carried out, as detailed in the statement of justifications, seeking that “most advantageous offer for the body and for the general interest”. The chosen one has been Saima Seguridad SA: yes, it is the same company from which they bought the previous endowment and the one that performs the maintenance of these devices. Thus, the seventy new devices have cost 610,678.25 euros.
How are the new mobile radars?
The seventy new mobile radars of the Civil Traffic Guard They measure fifty centimeters and weigh, at most, three kilos: which is why they are said to be practically invisible.
They are equipped with laser technology that allows them to measure the speed of vehicles in a range of 30 to 250 km/h and at a distance of up to 50 meters. At the same time, they must be able to control the vehicles that circulate in at least two lanes of the road and have a minimum autonomy of five hours. It is also possible to manipulate them remotely by controlling them with 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi technology.
The new mobile radars include a suitcase to be transported, a speed meter, a computer or tablet with software, a tripod with an orientation ball joint, as well as a bracket to install it on patrol vehicles and another for mounting on the road guard rails.
In this sense, the Ministry of the Interior, in the report justifying the purchase, reveals that they can not only be installed in patrol cars: “The use of small, compact, high-performance, easy-to-handle and quick-deploy kinemometers will allow its use to any agent, regardless of the vehicle in which he patrols: a four-wheeler or a motorcycle.” Yes, the new radars can also be located on the motorcycles of the Civil Guard patrols.
Where will the new mobile radars be?
The DGT never reveals the locations of the mobile radars it uses to monitor compliance with the established limits. The fact of being able to place them anywhere invites us to think that their location can be on any road, although it is assumed that their presence will be the majority on conventional roads. And it is there, on secondary roads, where the largest number of incidents related to speeding take place.
