Wednesday 24th November 2010

'Awareness' Courses Could Prop Up Speed Cameras

Police chiefs recommend using money from courses to fund 'scameras'

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Funding for speed cameras could be propped up by revenue from courses offered to offenders instead of prosecution.

The plans, drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) would help to prop up the nation's speed cameras in the wake of sharp spending cuts by the coalition government.

Under current ACPO guide lines, people who have broken the limit by up to 10 per cent plus 6mph (that's 39mph in a 30mph zone or 72mph in a 60mph zone, can be offered a £100-pound speed awareness course in lieu of a fine and points - provided they haven't already attended one in the past three years.

Around 30,000 offenders a year currently take part, potentially generating £3 million in extra annual revenue.

Split amongst the various councils and camera partnerships, that won't actually end up being a great deal of extra cash. But it's enough, reckons Oxfordshire, to turn its cameras back on in time for the new financial year next April, assuming the ACPO business model is approved.

The camera switch-on plans were revealed in a recent report to the cabinet of the Royal Borough of Windsor Maidenhead, written by Stephen Brown (who is chairman of Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership's (TVSRP) strategy committee).

"ACPO are (sic) due to publish a new business model in November, based largely on developments from TVSRP," says the report. "This will transfer costs and liabilities away from highway authorities (Has) and enable the police to recover all their costs from income from training courses. These courses are offered to offenders as an alternative to other penalties. Costs to HAs will therefore be much lower from next April."

[Yodafone]

When I done the course last week they said any remaing money after runnng cost goes to charity which I was rather please to hear as they said they gave 100k to charity last year.

Giving to charities is better use of the money imho.

[Mista_V]

Turn them off and let them rot, that will save 100% of the running costs.

[Tonto]

Let me guess, next year the £100 course will suddenly be £150.

[soad]

Tonto said:

Let me guess, next year the £100 course will suddenly be £150.

I bet, and no mistake

[Mermaid]

Tonto said:

Let me guess, next year the £100 course will suddenly be £150.

The cost of the course varies a lot too at present - from about £60 to over a £100 as mentioned.

I expect they will soon round that up to £150 next year.

[Toni896]

Mermaid said:

I expect they will soon round that up to £150 next year.

The higher it goes the less people will opt for it and just take the small % increase on their ins ..

[ellisd82]

they're going...they're staying...they're going...Now...I give up. the only day they will be gone is when they are set on fire and destroyed.

[davepoth]

ACPO empire building again. It's a shame that they aren't covered by the FOI act so we could see how much the Chief Police Officers make in "consultancy fees".

[LukeBird]

ellisd82 said:

they're going...they're staying...they're going...Now...I give up. the only day they will be gone is when they are set on fire and destroyed.

Completely agree.

I presume it hasn't been thought that these funds may well be better used elsewhere, especially when local councils are bleating they don't have the money to run the cameras...

[Dr Derek Doctors]

Article said:

Around 30,000 offenders a year currently take part, potentially generating £3 million in extra annual revenue.

Except you completely forgot the cost of running the course.

[TheOrangePeril]

Mista_V said:

Turn them off and let them rot, that will save 100% of the running costs.

Damn straight.

Why isn't the money raised being pumped back into driver training and awareness courses? The ACPO seems to love attacking the 'symptoms' over the disease. And making a fiver or three along the way...

[reAnimate]

They love 'em - it's like a drug ...
There will be a beautiful Police / scamera reunion in April:

"I've missed you so much"
"Aw ... I've missed you too"
"Let's not fight again"

xxx HUGS xxx

Edited by reAnimate on Wednesday 24th November 12:54

[DaveH23]

Thieving Bar Stewards said:

Under current ACPO guide lines, people who have broken the limit by up to 10 per cent plus 6mph (that's 39mph in a 30mph zone or 72mph in a 60mph zone, can be offered a £100-pound speed awareness course in lieu of a fine and points - provided they haven't already attended one in the past three years.

I got caught doing 37 in a 30 and wasn't offered the course. I got 3 points and and donated £60 to the xmas party fund.

[SplatSpeed]

only the goverment could make a loss with speed cameras

[fluffnik]

Mista_V said:

Turn them off and let them rot, that will save 100% of the running costs.

Purging the dangerously anti-democratic ACPO would save a bit too.

[havoc]

fluffnik said:

Purging the dangerously anti-democratic ACPO would save a bit too.

Good luck with that one. Can't see any government wanting to grasp that particular nettle...

[fluffnik]

davepoth said:

ACPO empire building again. It's a shame that they aren't covered by the FOI act so we could see how much the Chief Police Officers make in "consultancy fees".

It's not the FOI that needs unleashed on ACPO, it's anti racketeering legislation.

ACPO and its membership need purged from public life.

[fluffnik]

havoc said:

fluffnik said:

Purging the dangerously anti-democratic ACPO would save a bit too.

Good luck with that one. Can't see any government wanting to grasp that particular nettle...

Doesn't make it any less necessary.

[Huwowen]

DaveH23 said:

Thieving Bar Stewards said:

Under current ACPO guide lines, people who have broken the limit by up to 10 per cent plus 6mph (that's 39mph in a 30mph zone or 72mph in a 60mph zone, can be offered a £100-pound speed awareness course in lieu of a fine and points - provided they haven't already attended one in the past three years.

I got caught doing 37 in a 30 and wasn't offered the course. I got 3 points and and donated £60 to the xmas party fund.

Depends some areas on how you were caught ie scamera = course / police car = fixed penalty. However this is wrong as it leads to inconsistency and having threatened my local force with a visit to the High Court they ripped up the ticket and am attending the course tomorrow

[DaveH23]

Huwowen said:

DaveH23 said:

Thieving Bar Stewards said:

Under current ACPO guide lines, people who have broken the limit by up to 10 per cent plus 6mph (that's 39mph in a 30mph zone or 72mph in a 60mph zone, can be offered a £100-pound speed awareness course in lieu of a fine and points - provided they haven't already attended one in the past three years.

I got caught doing 37 in a 30 and wasn't offered the course. I got 3 points and and donated £60 to the xmas party fund.

Depends some areas on how you were caught ie scamera = course / police car = fixed penalty. However this is wrong as it leads to inconsistency and having threatened my local force with a visit to the High Court they ripped up the ticket and am attending the course tomorrow

It was 2 years ago in Blyth Northumberland.

Scamera Van parked up about 100 yeards in to a 30 from a NSL road.

I got clocked going in to the NSL but didnt realise the van was there until I came back the same way as it was hidden from view.