Police plan to fund speed cameras

The threshold for speed awareness courses has been lowered and drivers in most areas may now avoid points on their licence if they are caught speeding at 10% over the limit plus 9mph. This has risen from the previous limit of 10% over the speed limit plus 6mph. This will not, however, apply to 20mph zones.

37 out of 44 police forces have signed up to the new system where drivers caught speeding at these levels can now opt to pay for a speed awareness course to avoid gaining points on their licence. Hampshire is one of the forces who have not signed up to this new guideline as they already have their own speed awareness scheme.

The aim of the speed awareness course is to improve attitudes and behaviour towards speeding by demonstrating to drivers what speed is and what effects it can have. The course will look at what made the driver go above the speed limit and compare any benefits they felt they might gain from this with the dangers that arise from speeding. The training will aim to dispel the myths about saving time through speeding, highlighting stopping distances and associated risks, and exploring the drivers' attitude towards speed and risk-taking. The course will cost between £60 and £100 and individual police forces will decide whether to engage the theory-only option or the extended option, which includes a practical element.

The police forces that have adopted the new guidelines still have discretion as to when they offer the course, even if the driver is within this outer limit. The course is aimed at the low-end speed offenders and will be available for a driver's mistake rather than where a reckless or intentional act has been committed. Drivers are reminded that the official speed limit is still the limit that they must stick to to be within the law; not only will your stopping distance be increased but if you hit a child at 10% plus 9mph over the 30mph limit, you would reportedly reduce the child's chance of survival from 80% to 0%.

Critics have said that the courses "send out the wrong message" and are "simply a way of making money" (Joel Hickman, Brake), but the Government has insisted that road safety is a 'top priority' and asserts that drivers who have taken the course are less likely to reoffend. They emphasise that it is within the police's discretion whether to offer the course based on the particular circumstances and that you cannot take the course more than once in a three year period – meaning repeat offenders should still be caught with points on their licence.

In response to the allegation that it is just a new way to make money, supporters of the scheme have emphasised that the money will go towards funding speed cameras. 72 speed cameras and 89 mobile sites were switched off in Oxfordshire in August 2010 when £600,000 of funding was withdrawn as part of budget cuts. A safety group reported that the number of drivers speeding past these cameras had risen by up to 88% since the cameras had been switched off and police confirmed that since then serious injuries and fatalities on the roads had increased across the county. These cameras have now been switched on through funding from the speed awareness courses and back-room savings.

If you would like any further information or advice on any aspect of speeding or other driving offences please contact Philip Somarakis, a member of the motoring offences solicitors team at Blake Lapthorn.