Quick roadworks speed question

[lightstepper]

Work colleuge (sp?) of mine has got a summons for 71MPH in some 40MPH roadworks on the M4 about 6 months ago. They apparently saw the camera flash and then the first 40 sign came up!!

Is 71 in a 40 in those conditions ban territory or just fine and points? They have an unblemished driving record to date and no other previous offenses.

Sensible opinons please.


Cheers
Lightstepper

[SS2.]

71 in a 40 is over the threshold where a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty (3 points and £60) would ordinarily be offered - IIRC, the guidelines say CoFP for <20mph over for a 30 limit and <26mph over for all other limits.

But the details of the incident don't make sense - are you saying the camera (I assume fixed Gatso) was outside of the 40 limit or was it the case that your colleague 'missed' the first set of signs ??

Guessing here, but likely penalty £200-£250 plus 4-5 points. A short ban is not out of the question - probably depends whether the Mags got lucky the night before..

edit - also, I suggest he gets over to www.pepipoo.com ...




>> Edited by SS2. on Thursday 12th January 16:36

[lightstepper]

Just double checked about the camera coz it didnt make much sense to me either

They said that there were no speed limit signs before the camera, then there was a small repeater after the camera. Thing is, 6 months ago, roadworks long gone therefore no proof.

[chim666]

I assume that the roadworks in question were those immediately west of J18 (Bath turn-off). If so, then there were 40mph limit signs about 100 yds before the slip road off the M4 at J18 - i.e. well before the camera (which was a fixed Gatso just before the slip onto the M4 after J18).
If your friend was travelling east, then again, there were signs before the camera - though it is possible of course that he/she might have not noticed them, or maybe they were obscured by traffic alongside....but they were definitely there (I travelled along that route many times during last year).
BTW - watch out in the coming months because there's two or three new (currently hooded)Gatsos been installed between J17 & J18 in advance of more similar roadworks!