Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hello all,

My partner has just received an NIP that actually belongs to me.

There are two parts to this. Firstly, I was on a dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction where the speed limit had been reduced to 20 mph. I was driving in the inside lane and distinctly remember being overtaken, yet I still received the NIP, which I find odd. Has anyone else experienced something similar?

Secondly, and more relevantly: at the time of the alleged offence I don’t recall seeing the speed camera. I suffer from severe hay fever and was in the middle of a sneezing fit. Even though I remember being overtaken, it’s not impossible that I briefly pressed the accelerator and reached 24 mph — the speed recorded.

My licence is clean, so three points wouldn’t be the end of the world, but I do believe I was driving carefully at the time and am considering pleading my case in the hope of some leniency from the court.

Any feedback would be very welcome.

+10%+2mph to start enforcement is 24mph in a 20mph limit. I’ve received a notice for 57mph in a 50mph limit on the same basis.

The only place you can plead leniency is in court. So how lenient do you want the court to be?

With a guilty plea, you will face a fine of a third of a week's net income, a "surcharge" of 40% of that fine and about £90 costs. So even if your income is just £300 per week, it will normally cost you about £230 in court. The court must impose a minimum of three points.

A course (which should be offered) will cost you about £100 and a few hours of your time. A fixed penalty will cost you £100 and three points.

Do you expect a court to be more lenient than that?