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UK, Australia: 5300 Bogus Photo Tickets Refunded
Inaccurate speed cameras and lack of warning force UK and Australian authorities to refund 5300 speed camera tickets.

Officials are being forced to refund and compensate nearly 5300 motorists wrongly ticketed by speed cameras in the UK and Australia. The UK Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) opened an investigation late last year into "irregularities" in the Lancashire speed camera program.

As a result, around 300 motorists in the Fylde have had license demerit points wiped off their record and had fines refunded. These car owners had been trapped by a speed camera that had not been properly calibrated. In addition, four Lancashire staff members did not follow procedures when handling court documents related to the citations. The Blackpool Gazette newspaper identified Blackpool resident Stephen Hunter as a recipient of a £185 (US $370) refund for a ticket wrongly issued on July 18.

"If people think they weren't speeding, they need to check instead of just taking it for granted when you get a letter through saying you were speeding," Hunter said.

In Australia, the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority was forced to hand refunds to 4915 motorists wrongly convicted of speeding. This represents the number driving on King Georges Road in August during school hours at what they thought was the 60km/h (37 MPH) speed limit. Because the road lacked signs warning motorists of the reduced speeds, the tickets never should have been issued, the Saint George & Sutherland Shire Leader reported.

Graham Walker LLb,DipLP,NP

25 Years practising as a Criminal lawyer in Scotland. Specialising in road traffic law .

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