Under the agency’s plans, the new cameras, which could be grey rather than yellow according to reports, will be used along stretches of “smart” motorways including the M1, M6 and M25 in a move to improve traffic flow and journey times.

The move has been greeted by road safety charity Brake, with deputy chief executive Julie Townsend saying: ‘Speed cameras are an extremely well evidenced, cost-effective way to improve safety and reduce deaths and injuries on roads where they are placed, preventing families going through the trauma of a sudden bereavement or life-changing injury.

'Put simply: speed cameras reduce speeding, which helps to prevent deadly crashes. Breaking the speed limit is risky and illegal, so only drivers who break the law will face fines.’

However, former Transport Minister John Spellar has criticised the plans for being an easy way to make money from fines whilst motoring organisations have concurred that the cameras are a money-making exercise and will not improve road safety.