Safe Speed Forums

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/articl ... 13,00.html

January 13, 2005

Speed camera errors threaten drivers
By Ben Webster, Transport Correspondent

THOUSANDS of drivers may be unfairly banned for speeding under the Government’s new graduated penalty points system because of errors in the equipment used to measure speed, according to motoring groups.

And police chiefs have given warning that the courts could be overwhelmed by drivers challenging their penalties.

The Road Safety Bill proposes to introduce three tiers of speeding penalties, with points and fines rising according to the gravity of the offence.

At present, nearly all drivers caught speeding have to pay a fixed fine of £60 and have three penalty points added to their licences.

The Government is consulting on a new system under which drivers caught speeding at 39mph in a 30mph zone would receive only two points and a £40 fine. Those recorded at 40mph to 44mph would get three points and a £60 fine. At 45mph and above, the penalty would be six points and a £100 fine — leaving drivers recorded at an extra 1mph, or 45mph instead of 44mph, getting double the number of penalty points.

For motorists who had already accumulated six points, this would result in an automatic six-month driving ban for reaching the 12-point limit.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) fear that drivers who receive second and third-tier penalties will challenge them on the ground that the speed camera could have been wrongly calibrated.

Under Home Office guidelines, speed cameras are required to have an accuracy rate within 2mph of the actual speed.

Police are concerned that public trust in the graduated penalty system would be undermined unless cameras were proved to be 100 per cent accurate. Ian Bell, of Acpo, said that the current penalty system allowed a generous margin of error. “Under the proposed system the margin will be tighter. You could get double the points for an extra 1mph, he said.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “This is an issue we are aware of and it will be covered when we consult on the detail of the system.”
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I think this is a bit of nonsense really.

Clearly there will have to be a error margin applied at each of the threasholds.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Should this read, drivers caught speeding at UP TO 39mph in a 30mph zone, meaning, caught at 31 / 39mph in a 30 ??

Otherwise the new system would certainly affect the cash flow to the scammers wouldn't you say?

(You beat me to this one Paul, I was just about to post this, but when I checked, you'd already covered it.....
Guess I'll have to get up earlier ! )

But how would that look? If the ticket said you were doing 40 mph, would they prosecute you for Tier 1 or Tier 2?

If they prosecuted for Tier 1, Transport 2000 would be up in arms because "it says right here in the law that 40 mph is a Tier 2 penalty"?
If they prosecuted for Tier 2, drivers would all appeal because "the speed camera isn't that accurate".

Some cameras are only good to +/- 1mph....could get interesting...

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Speed camera policy Kills

Does anyone know if the fine / points structure applies the same above all limits, eg 70 limit, 70-79, 80-85, 85 and above?

Steve

The fine structure has not yet been defined and is the subject of an ongoing consultation process. The proposed Act will devolve the fine structure and thresholds responsibility to the secretary of state. In effect, MPs won't know what they are voting for. It's an outrage.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

This has been a typical feature of Blairite government. It is surprising that more has not been made of it in the media, although other political parties will never capitalise as they would love to operate the same system if they get into power - dictatorship by the back door.