A mobile speed camera has been installed on the Promenade des Anglais to combat speeding. Its location has sparked criticism due to the risks for users.
Since Tuesday, May 27, 2025, a new speed camera has been installed on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The equipment is already operational and has started catching vehicles speeding. This so-called “construction” camera, positioned at 105 boulevard de Magnan, has the main goal of reducing accidents on this heavily traveled route.
Nearly 175,000 vehicles use this road daily. The municipality and State services have been concerned for several years about road behavior deemed dangerous, especially at night. From 2019 to today, nineteen people have lost their lives on this stretch of road, and forty-nine have been severely injured.
A multi-step strategy
The installation of this mobile speed camera is part of a broader initiative. Three other similar devices are to follow on this same road. Eventually, the city of Nice plans seven new speed cameras throughout its entire territory, especially in areas considered accident-prone.
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, welcomes this advancement, which he says resulted from long negotiations with the prefecture and the Ministry of the Interior. In a statement, he declared: “after long efforts and relentless mobilization with the prefecture and the Ministry of the Interior, I am pleased to have finally obtained the installation of a new speed camera on the Promenade des Anglais, at 105 (Magnan).”
He refers to a mobile device meant to be regularly moved between five sites. The aim, according to the official, is to “combat efficiently” road behavior that endangers the residents of Nice.
The Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture has shared this information on social media. It emphasizes the severity of road accidents on this route and the importance of the mobile camera for deterring speeding.
Criticism of the chosen location
Despite official justifications, some users question the positioning of the speed camera. Partially placed on the roadway and sidewalk, it might pose, according to several testimonies, a danger for two-wheeler drivers, pedestrians, or scooter users.
Some also point out that other less intrusive solutions could have been implemented. Traffic lights or permanent slowing devices might, according to them, have achieved similar results without creating an obstruction for traffic.
On social media, reactions are mixed. Some internet users welcome the awaited safety measure, while others view it more as an additional enforcement tool that might penalize users without solving the underlying issue. “This construction speed camera is the only one the State could quickly deploy,” clarifies the municipality, in response to these criticisms.
For the authorities, the temporary nature of the device allows them to test multiple locations and better target risk areas before finalizing the permanent sites.
It remains to be seen whether this mobile speed camera will achieve its prevention mission or if it will eventually fuel a new controversy over road safety management in large cities. Meanwhile, motorists are advised to slow down on this section limited to 50 km/h.
