Sneak speedcams 'illegal'
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Sneak speedcams 'illegal'
By JOHN COLES
A FURIOUS top cop yesterday slammed his officers for using sneaky illegal tactics to nick speeding motorists.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Mortimore said he was “appalled” at the way mobile camera units parked in places where ordinary drivers would be FINED.
He has banned cops from parking on double yellow lines, footpaths, cycle lanes, bus lanes and other restricted zones after complaints from motorists.
Mr Mortimore, of Avon and Somerset police, said: “I gave a written instruction that we could not be seen to break the law in order to enforce the law. It’s against our way of doing things and it’s hypocritical.
“Everyone with a car will speed. I have broken the speed limit and I defy anyone to say they haven’t.
“Often speed limits are broken without people having accidents.
“We have to focus on where speed is actually causing accidents.”
An Avon and Somerset force spokesman said Chief Constable Steve Pilkington was “fully supportive” of his assistant.
The camera units are controlled by a watchdog made up of 11 organisations including the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Highways Agency and health authorities.
The Safety Camera Partnership was set up to make sure cameras can be seen. It issues 10,000 tickets a month in Avon and Somerset, generating £7.2MILLION a year.
Chairman Nigel Farrow said: “We are not trying to catch innocent victims. We are catching people who break the law.”
An RAC spokesman said: “The Assistant Chief Constable’s remarks will come as welcome news to most of the public. If the police are to be seen upholding the law then they should obey the rules.”
Last year Transport Minister John Spellar ruled fixed cameras must be clearly visible to drivers, painted yellow and not obstructed.
Speeding motorists face a £60 fine and three points on their licence.
Two million drivers are fined every year, generating £120 million.
By JOHN COLES
A FURIOUS top cop yesterday slammed his officers for using sneaky illegal tactics to nick speeding motorists.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Mortimore said he was “appalled” at the way mobile camera units parked in places where ordinary drivers would be FINED.
He has banned cops from parking on double yellow lines, footpaths, cycle lanes, bus lanes and other restricted zones after complaints from motorists.
Mr Mortimore, of Avon and Somerset police, said: “I gave a written instruction that we could not be seen to break the law in order to enforce the law. It’s against our way of doing things and it’s hypocritical.
“Everyone with a car will speed. I have broken the speed limit and I defy anyone to say they haven’t.
“Often speed limits are broken without people having accidents.
“We have to focus on where speed is actually causing accidents.”
An Avon and Somerset force spokesman said Chief Constable Steve Pilkington was “fully supportive” of his assistant.
The camera units are controlled by a watchdog made up of 11 organisations including the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Highways Agency and health authorities.
The Safety Camera Partnership was set up to make sure cameras can be seen. It issues 10,000 tickets a month in Avon and Somerset, generating £7.2MILLION a year.
Chairman Nigel Farrow said: “We are not trying to catch innocent victims. We are catching people who break the law.”
An RAC spokesman said: “The Assistant Chief Constable’s remarks will come as welcome news to most of the public. If the police are to be seen upholding the law then they should obey the rules.”
Last year Transport Minister John Spellar ruled fixed cameras must be clearly visible to drivers, painted yellow and not obstructed.
Speeding motorists face a £60 fine and three points on their licence.
Two million drivers are fined every year, generating £120 million.
Read this with some satisfaction in the paper this morning. The quote I liked the best was:
This coming from a senior police officer! How good is that? An outbreak of common sense...excuse me while I lie down! Pity he will never make it to Chief Constable now...police force accountants will be moaning to his boss.
“Everyone with a car will speed. I have broken the speed limit and I defy anyone to say they haven’t.
“Often speed limits are broken without people having accidents.
“We have to focus on where speed is actually causing accidents.”
This coming from a senior police officer! How good is that? An outbreak of common sense...excuse me while I lie down! Pity he will never make it to Chief Constable now...police force accountants will be moaning to his boss.
This story and related features took about three pages of the Bristol Evening Post last night. Although great PR for the police, the government have empowered these scamera partnerships who will stick two fingers in the air to the Assistant Chief Constable.
Nice to hear common sense, but will it prevail? I fear not.
Link to main story in Bristol Evening Post:
www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=86419&command=displayContent&sourceNode=86416&contentPK=5894667
Another comparison in the same paper showed the scamera partnership issued 10,000 tickets per month whilst ignoring guidelines from government and the police. The police in the same area only issue 400 tickets per month.
DAZ
Edited to add link and the comparison comment.
>> Edited by dazren on Thursday 5th June 10:35
Nice to hear common sense, but will it prevail? I fear not.
Link to main story in Bristol Evening Post:
www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=86419&command=displayContent&sourceNode=86416&contentPK=5894667
Another comparison in the same paper showed the scamera partnership issued 10,000 tickets per month whilst ignoring guidelines from government and the police. The police in the same area only issue 400 tickets per month.
DAZ
Edited to add link and the comparison comment.
>> Edited by dazren on Thursday 5th June 10:35
Evening Post said:
Mr Mortimore says he also objects to the way hundreds of speeders were caught in Temple Way underpass.
Although a dual carriageway, the speed limit is 30mph and dozens of drivers caught there have complained to the Post.
Is it?
Typical application of cr4p speed limit. The traffic there is either nose to tail or happily doing 50-60mph...
Well I guess we all need to carry cameras around with us and send any pictures like this to the Daily Mail and start the revolution.
Unfortunately the scamera's are run by civilians not the Police so they are unlikely to take any notice of what's been said. Unless the Police start giving them parking tickets (which no doubt the council will waive) and giving them hassle.
Unfortunately the scamera's are run by civilians not the Police so they are unlikely to take any notice of what's been said. Unless the Police start giving them parking tickets (which no doubt the council will waive) and giving them hassle.
Do'nt be fooled He has just drawn the short straw that means he the one to make an announcement that is intended to take the heat off, look at it this way these people are not fools and will understand that they have been milking this cash cow abit to hard and will lay off a while but they will be back, I would not be amazed if they got something new up they sleive
Pavement, cycle lane, double yellow lines, no excuses. If I'd had to swerve into traffic to pass that van on my pushbike I'd have been tempted kicked the lights out as I went by.
What the Daily Mail didn't say is that the road is something of a death trap for pedestrians - another killed only three weeks ago only a few yards from where that photographer would have been standing. It's a 40 zone about a mile off the M5, a dual carriageway lined with housing, apart from the approach to Filton runway where the camera van was parked. There are better places to park a camera, but we all expect them in those places now.
No evidence of excessive speed mentioned; but it was an Astra van, so on the balance of probabilities...
I wonder how the victims parents reacted to that particular choice of photograph.
What the Daily Mail didn't say is that the road is something of a death trap for pedestrians - another killed only three weeks ago only a few yards from where that photographer would have been standing. It's a 40 zone about a mile off the M5, a dual carriageway lined with housing, apart from the approach to Filton runway where the camera van was parked. There are better places to park a camera, but we all expect them in those places now.
No evidence of excessive speed mentioned; but it was an Astra van, so on the balance of probabilities...
I wonder how the victims parents reacted to that particular choice of photograph.
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