Council-issued speeding fines to be piloted

Council-issued speeding fines are to be piloted under a new scheme aimed at improving compliance on residential roads.

Wandsworth Borough Council will use cameras to monitor two roads - Wimbledon Park Road and Priory Lane - both which are subject to complaints from local residents about excessive speeding.

For the initial period of the scheme, drivers who break the 20mph limit on these roads will be sent warning letters. Further into the pilot, speeding drivers will be issued with fines of £130, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.

Crucially, it will be penalty charge notices that are issued rather than fixed penalty notices. This means that, although the speeding drivers can be fined, they will not receive penalty points on their driving licences.

The pilot scheme has been thought up by London Councils - an umbrella group representing all 32 boroughs in the capital. The level of compliance with 20mph speed limits is currently low and the aim of the scheme is to improve this, particularly following complaints from local residents.

All money made from the pilot scheme in Wandsworth will be “ringfenced” for spending on road safety initiatives in the borough. London Councils says the aim of the scheme is to support rather than replace the Metropolitan Police’s enforcement of speed limits.

Wandsworth Borough Council leader Simon Hogg said: “Until now, only the Metropolitan Police have had powers to enforce speed limits, but they tend to concentrate their resources on main roads and dual carriageways, whereas most of the complaints we receive are about people driving too fast along quieter residential streets.”

He added: “If judged a success, we will look to make it [the scheme] permanent and carry out enforcement in other parts of the borough where we know vehicle speeds are excessive.”

The RAC said the scheme could be “could be just what’s needed to make 20mph limits more effective”. The motoring organisation’s road safety spokesperson, Simon Williams, added: “We would, however, like to see those drivers who speed excessively referred to the police for prosecution as they present a much greater risk to pedestrian and cyclist safety.

“Consideration should also be given to those who regularly break the limit as it would be very wrong if more affluent drivers continued to disregard 20mph limits just because they can easily afford to pay the fines.”

Now read our guide to UK speeding fines...