Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi All,

Found this forum and thought to ask for advice.

My wife was sent a notice of exceeding 30mph on the 4th of Dec, at A61 Sheepscar Street north in LEEDS.

The letter stated 36mph but the image showed 34 miles.

When the letter came back with the correct person (me) driving, the image had been swapped to 36mph.

I emailed the camera.unit@westyorkshire.police.uk, with evidence/image of the 34miles (also attached here), their response is below.

I think I might have been going over 30mph but my children call me a grandad driver (meaning I don't speed).

Is this a technicality if

- the initial image is different from the one they claim to have now
- they can't even admit the images are different
- the image has been swaped from the original image that was there?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Shola

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Good morning,
Thank you for your email, the contents of which have been noted.
Please be aware that the speed has been detected by the type approved device and it conforms with the secondary checks.
The image on our system clearly states 36mph, and should you wish to view this, you can make an appointment with a member of the Camera Enforcement Department to view the original evidence.
Should you be viewing the offence on a device that may compress the image, then this may appear to distort the numerals on the data block.
If you wish to further appeal this matter, you may request a court hearing whereby all this information can be explained and presented to yourself in court.

Please be assured that the correct recorded speed is 36mph.
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Thanks for responding, I have been offered a course - apologies I didn't mention that.

I think your point is whether it is 34mph or 36mph, it is still over 30mph

I have to book the course by 2nd of April, the main wait has been emails back and forth with the camera processing unit.

Thought I'd ask for another opinion (technicality) since there have been 2 different images (over time) and they claim they've not changed it.

Can one trust the recording to be correct at all?

Thank you!

Can one trust the recording to be correct at all?

Once again, if you believe the measurement cannot be relied upon, you must decline the course and defend the mattter in court.

There are two things to bear in mind:

1. The device is presumed to be working reliably unless the contrary can be proved. You will have to convince the court that it is so unreliable that the court cannot be sure that you exceeded the speed limit. The police may enlist an expert to show why there was a discrepancy between the speed shown and that alleged in the charge. You will have to counter that evidence.

2. The cost of failure is high. You will face a fine of half a week's net income, a surcharge of 40% of that fine and costs which will be at least £650, or much more if the police enlist an expert and you are ordered to pay the costs of that.

You need to weigh that against the £100-ish for the course.

Was this a fixed speed detection device, or a mobile manned camera. If the latter, they may have several "money" shots and 36 was the highest.