Many drivers 'may be refunded for speeding tickets'

Due to problems with the issuing of speeding tickets, hundreds of thousands of drivers may have their speeding fines refunded and points taken off their licenses.

The mistake involves part of the 1988 Road Traffic Offenders Act, which states that any civilian worker sending out penalty letters must have signed a legal authority from the chief constable.

However, an employee at Essex Police's enforcement office may never have received such authorisation, it has emerged.

The possible oversight dates back four years and therefore could affect up to 300,000 motorists, the Daily Mail claims.

In total, people in the area have paid around £20 million in speeding fines over this period.

One 27-year-old road user said: "I had to go on a speed awareness course which cost me £65, which meant I didn't get any penalty points but I had to have the day off work."

Last month, Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon, described speeding ticket statistics in Devon and Cornwall as "alarming".

According to figures cited in Plymouth newspaper the Herald, a total of 119,000 such tickets were dispensed in the area during 2007.
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30/06/2009 13:43

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