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Speeding | |
Speeding
Fines
The last audited 12 month period is the
2003/04 financial year that ended on 31 March 2004.
The total fine receipts for speeding and red light offences
detected by fixed and mobile cameras was £113,549,240.
Of this amount, £91,848,844 was reinvested in road safety
as payments back to the partnerships including the police,
local highway authorities and magistrates' courts who
operate within the safety camera programme. The amount
retained by the Treasury was £21,700,396 which is the
difference
We
are probably all guilty of exceeding the speed limit
at some time or other. Coming from a fast road like
a motorway onto a slow B road, 30 mph can seem so slow
that you're almost going backwards but you must resist
the temptation to put your foot down otherwise you could
receive a hefty fine and points on your licence. The
police no longer have to do the job as they have a team
of mechanical watchdogs to do it for them.
Speed cameras are going up everywhere and not all are
obvious. Some counties have decided that the speed cameras
are meant to be for preventing accidents and are therfore
prominent and easy to spot. Some counties however don't
want people to know where they are until its to late
in an attempt to slow everyone down. Sceptics could
of course argue that they just want to make more money.
Either way its the motorist that has the most to lose
which ever way they are caught.
This table shows the basic fines you can expect to get
for each offence but note that as from December 2004
each case will be looked at individually and assesed
for weather conditions, road conditions time of day
etc.
| Speeding
Offence |
Fine |
Costs |
Penalty Points
|
| up
to 15mph over the posted limit |
£44 |
£30 |
3
|
| 16mph
to 25mph over the posted limit |
£45-£100 |
£30 |
4
|
| 26mph
to 35mph over the posted limit |
£45-£200 |
£30 |
5-6
|
| 36mph
or more over the posted limit |
£67-£300
|
£30 |
Ban 1 month to 12 months
|
Association of Chief Police Officers Guidelines
Below
is a table of the current guidelines given to the ACPO
but there are new proposals for changes to some of these
figures. Click
here to see these proposals
| Limit |
Fixed
Penalty |
Summons |
| 20
mph |
25
mph |
35
mph |
| 30
mph |
35
mph |
50
mph |
| 40
mph |
46
mph |
66
mph |
| 50
mph |
57
mph |
76
mph |
| 60
mph |
68
mph |
86
mph |
| 70
mph |
79
mph |
96
mph |
A
police officer can issue an on the spot fine of £60
and 3 penalty points whereas a GATSO speed camera can
mean a court summons and any further offences caught
on another GATSO Camera can be added together even if
up to the point of getting 12 points which if received
within a three year period means an automatic disqualification
and a TT99 endorsement on your license.
Endorsements remain on your licence for:
• 11 years from date of conviction for offences
relating to drink/drugs and driving, causing death by
careless driving whilst under the influence of drink/drugs
and causing death by careless driving then failing to
provide a specimen for analysis.
• 4 years from date of conviction for reckless/dangerous
driving and offences resulting in disqualification.
• 4 years from the date of offence in all other
cases
| SP
codes that will appear on your licence after endorsement(s)
|
| SP
Code |
Offence
|
| SP10 |
Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits |
| SP20 |
Exceeding
speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods
or passenger vehicles) |
| SP30 |
Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
|
| SP40 |
Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit |
| SP50 |
Exceeding
speed limit on a motorway |
| SP60 |
Undefined
speed limit offence |
| When
endoresements expire you can have them removed
from your licence by getting the D1 application
form from your post office |
For
more information Click here
Safety
Cameras
The UK has one of the best safety records in the world,
yet on average 9 people are killed and 85 injured each
day on the roads. Safety cameras save about 100 lives
a year by reducing speeding and making the roads safer.
What are safety cameras?
‘Safety cameras’ include speed cameras and traffic signal
cameras. Speed cameras can be fixed, mobile or speed-over-distance
(SPED). Most fixed speed cameras are run by the National
Safety Camera Partnership (NSCP). The NSCP is made up
of local authorities, the police, and the courts, and
is subject to rules and guidance on where cameras are
placed, and how they are marked and signposted.
What are the NSCP rules for speed cameras?
Fixed speed cameras can only be located in places with
a history of serious accidents, or evidence of a speeding
problem, or where the local community has requested
them, and are marked yellow to make them clearly visible.
Vehicles which contain mobile cameras should be clearly
marked. Warning signs should be within 1km of a fixed
camera site, and at the start of an area with mobile
cameras.
Not all cameras are part of the NCSP. Local councils
in conjunction with the police may use fixed or mobile
speed cameras in specific areas to control speeding.
These cameras, which are run outside the NCSP, are not
governed by the same rules on visibility, and the law
does not require these cameras to be yellow or visible.
Where does the money from speed cameras go?
Neither the police nor local councils make any money
from speeding fines. They can only claim back their
running and administration costs for the scheme, and
any surplus goes to the Treasury.
What happens if I am caught speeding?
If you are caught speeding by fixed or mobile speed
cameras you receive a conditional offer fixed penalty
notice. The conditional offer gives you the chance to
settle the speeding fine without having to go to court.
However, if your speed is excessive you will receive
a summons from the Magistrate's Court.
The fine for speeding is £60, and 3 penalty points will
be added to your licence.
Endorsements, penalty points and disqualification
How to complain about a speeding fine?
You can challenge a speeding fine in court. The Magistrates
determine any fine and penalty points awarded. They
have the power to increase the fine and the penalty
points, and you may also be ordered to pay court costs.
Taking a case to court
You should allow 28 days for the conditional offer to
expire. You will then receive a summons. You can give
reasons for disputing the speeding fine on the summons,
plus any evidence you want the court to take into account.
What is a notice of intended prosecution?
The purpose of the notice of intended prosecution (NIP)
is to inform the potential defendant that he may be
prosecuted for the offence he has committed, whilst
the incident is still fresh in his memory.
When you receive an NIP it does not automatically mean
that you are going to face prosecution, it is a warning
that you may face prosecution.
The NIP must be served within 14 days of the offence.
The details that are commonly used if the details of
the driver are not known are those of the registered
keeper. If the registered keeper was not the driver
and the driver receives the NIP after 14 days as long
as it was posted within the 14 days it is still valid.
Also if the registered keeper/driver has changed address
and not informed DVLA, as long as the NIP was posted
in 14 days then it is still valid.
If you have received an NIP after a period of 14 days
then it is likely to be for one of the reasons above.
NIPS can also be issued verbally or alternatively you
could receive a court summons through the post for the
alleged offence.
Small mistakes on the notice do not render it ineffective
unless it would mislead the potential defendant.
The NIP is said to be served when it has been posted
using ordinary post, it is still valid even if it gets
lost in the post. The burden of proof is on the potential
defendant to prove that neither he nor the registered
keeper received the notice and the prosecution only
need to prove that the notice was posted.
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