Tfl Cameras Explained: Live CCTV for Road Incidents & Closures

What Are TfL JamCams?

JamCams are Transport for London's network of roadside traffic monitoring cameras positioned at key junctions, busy roads and pinch points across Greater London. The name "JamCam" comes from their primary purpose: helping identify and monitor traffic jams across the network.

The cameras capture still images (typically refreshed every few minutes) or short video clips showing current road conditions. These images are made available as open data by TfL under their developer API, which is how third-party sites like JamCams.co.uk can show you the live feeds.

JamCams are not speed cameras, ANPR enforcement cameras or CCTV for police use. They are purely traffic monitoring tools.

How Do They Work?

Each JamCam is a weatherproof camera mounted on a pole or gantry at a road junction or busy stretch of road. The cameras are connected to TfL's Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system — London's centralised traffic management network which also controls thousands of traffic signals across the city.

TfL's traffic engineers at their 24/7 operations centre in Southwark can view any camera in real time to assess incidents and adjust signal timings to manage flow. Separately, the camera images are pushed to TfL's open data API, where they become publicly accessible.

The images update on a regular schedule — typically every 5 to 10 minutes — rather than being true live video. This is why you may sometimes notice the timestamp on an image is a few minutes old. During incidents, operators may increase the refresh frequency for affected cameras.

Where Are They Located?

There are over 900 JamCams distributed across Greater London, with the highest concentration in central London and at key route pinch points. You'll find them at:

• Major junctions on the A-road network
• Approaches to all key Thames crossings (Blackwall, Silvertown, Waterloo Bridge, Tower Bridge etc.)
• Entry points to the Congestion Charge Zone
• Key sections of the North and South Circular roads
• Major arterial routes into central London (A1, A2, A3, A4, A10, A12, A13, A23, A316 etc.)
• Bus route pinch points and busy town centres

The coverage is significantly better in inner London than outer London. Some outer boroughs have relatively few cameras. You can browse the full map of camera locations on our interactive map.

How to Use JamCams to Plan Your Journey

JamCams are most useful when used before you travel — check the cameras along your planned route to see if there are any obvious queues, incidents or roadworks before you commit to a road.

• Search by location: On JamCams.co.uk, search for a place name or junction to find nearby cameras.
• Use the map view: Our interactive map lets you see all camera locations and click any camera to view the current image.
• Check key bottlenecks: Focus on the cameras at your most likely problem spots — tunnel approaches, major junctions — rather than every camera on your route.
• Compare timestamps: If an image looks congested, check how recent it is. A 10-minute-old image showing a clear road may have changed since.

Common Questions About JamCams