I have very little sympathy for anyone who has paid an 'unfair' parking ticket. If you think it's unfair then don't pay it - fight it!
You must remember that a parking ticket isn't a fine in itself - it's a statement that someone believes you were parked wrongly.
If you contest the ticket there's a good chance that you will get off. Being too busy to bother doesn't really cut it for me - you need to fight for things like this otherwise you'll be getting tickets for every slight issue.
Captain Gatso
£60m paid in 'unfair' parking fines
Drivers lost almost £60 million last year by failing to appeal against unfair parking tickets, according to a survey.
In 2010, around 5% of motorists in the UK received a parking ticket where they had grounds for appeal, paying out an estimated £58.5 million, the poll by car insurer LV= found.
Of these, only 22% bothered to contest the ticket but of those who did, 88% were successful in their claim.
More than half (53%) who chose not to appeal said they assumed they would lose, while 8% did not know how to initiate a claim.
The poll of 2,003 adults, including 1,728 drivers, showed that the majority of unfair parking fines are issued in areas were parking signage is unclear.
A total of 2% of drivers said parking attendants had fabricated evidence to support the issuing of a ticket.
Nearly half (49%) of tickets issued unfairly are given out on public roads, while 10% are issued in car parks of public buildings managed by local councils, including libraries, hospitals and doctors' surgeries.
Also, 182,000 tickets issued unfairly last year came from unregulated private parking operators.
As many as 10% of motorists given an unfair ticket on privately-owned land said they had been threatened with court proceedings or debt recovery action if they did not pay up.
The average cost paid by motorists given a ticket in unfair circumstances was £42.
Showing posts with label capt gatso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label capt gatso. Show all posts
Friday, 11 March 2011
Saturday, 16 October 2010
What does firefighters' strike mean for anti-terrorist units and bonfire night?
Slightly off-topic but I think that Ross Lydall's blog raises a few interesting questions.
Let's hope that anyone thinking of carrying a very stupid act in London on a strike date will not be aware of its full implications.
Essentially there's not a lot we can do if it's a 'dirty bomb' or something similar.
Here's what Ross has to say....
The London firefighters' strike raises many questions. At one end there is the unresolved dilemma about who will take charge of the brigade's specialist CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) units designed to handle all manner of terrorist atrocities.
At the other is the real fear of a lack of cover in the run-up to Bonfire night - a situation made worse by the cancellation of some council events, such as the Ally Pally fireworks, due to cutbacks.
Lambeth council has cancelled its events on Streatham Common and Brockwell Park, with only Clapham Common going ahead. Lewisham today told me that the Blackheath fireworks would go ahead - it has raised £11,000 of a £35,000 shortfall in funding, and the remainder will come from savings elsewhere if necessary. Wandsworth is advertising its Battersea Park event as normal.
Even if the FBU backs away from a walk-out on Bonfire night (it is thought likely that any action will be co-ordinated with the Tube strike due for November 2), brigade chiefs say that the risk of accidents increases in the week before November 5.
Read Ross' blog
Let's hope that anyone thinking of carrying a very stupid act in London on a strike date will not be aware of its full implications.
Essentially there's not a lot we can do if it's a 'dirty bomb' or something similar.
Here's what Ross has to say....
The London firefighters' strike raises many questions. At one end there is the unresolved dilemma about who will take charge of the brigade's specialist CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) units designed to handle all manner of terrorist atrocities.
At the other is the real fear of a lack of cover in the run-up to Bonfire night - a situation made worse by the cancellation of some council events, such as the Ally Pally fireworks, due to cutbacks.
Lambeth council has cancelled its events on Streatham Common and Brockwell Park, with only Clapham Common going ahead. Lewisham today told me that the Blackheath fireworks would go ahead - it has raised £11,000 of a £35,000 shortfall in funding, and the remainder will come from savings elsewhere if necessary. Wandsworth is advertising its Battersea Park event as normal.
Even if the FBU backs away from a walk-out on Bonfire night (it is thought likely that any action will be co-ordinated with the Tube strike due for November 2), brigade chiefs say that the risk of accidents increases in the week before November 5.
Read Ross' blog
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Greedy Gatso on safe road row
Just when people think the Gatso row has died away there pops up another example of the greed of the 'safety camera' partnerships.
You won't need me to spell out why this camera is so wrong (but it's on a road without any RTAs and is a dual carriageway with a 30mph. Go figure).
But, goodness me, to rack yp £1.3m a year in fines on what is suppoed to be a SAFE road? Come on!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
A SPEED camera on a road with a sparkling safety record has sparked fury — as it nets £1.3MILLION a year in fines.
The controversial camera, one of the most lucrative in Britain, has been catching an average 1,843 motorists a month — hitting each with a £60 ticket.
But the dual carriageway it sits on has had only ONE serious injury in ELEVEN YEARS.
Motoring groups have slammed it as a move to "milk the motorist" — claiming the 30mph is far too low for the road.
Thousands of drivers have been fined for driving at a few miles over 30mph, not realising the limit is so low.
Read more of The Sun story
You won't need me to spell out why this camera is so wrong (but it's on a road without any RTAs and is a dual carriageway with a 30mph. Go figure).
But, goodness me, to rack yp £1.3m a year in fines on what is suppoed to be a SAFE road? Come on!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
A SPEED camera on a road with a sparkling safety record has sparked fury — as it nets £1.3MILLION a year in fines.
The controversial camera, one of the most lucrative in Britain, has been catching an average 1,843 motorists a month — hitting each with a £60 ticket.
But the dual carriageway it sits on has had only ONE serious injury in ELEVEN YEARS.
Motoring groups have slammed it as a move to "milk the motorist" — claiming the 30mph is far too low for the road.
Thousands of drivers have been fined for driving at a few miles over 30mph, not realising the limit is so low.
Read more of The Sun story
Monday, 5 July 2010
Crackdown on 'Big Brother' camera network for our roads after Home Secretary orders review
A review into the use of ANPR cameras is long overdue - and we don't expect them to be removed.
The police are now in charge and they don't want this to happen.
It's NOT about finding/tracking terrorists but about following ordinary people. NuLiebore just wanted control and the Coalition may think it's too good to give up.
Incredible that they were installed in the first place.
** I was going to comment on the decision to remove secret cameras which monitor the Muslim population of Birmingham. I've decided not to get embroiled in this one. Again, the cameras shouldn't have been put up and they are offensive. But they are offensive to all members of the population.
Read the ANPR story from the Daily Mail below.
Captain Gatso
Police face restrictions on the use of a 'Big Brother' network of thousands of cameras tracking up to 14million motorists a day.
The controversial Automatic Number Plate Recognition system takes photographs of car number plates, allowing officers to follow individual vehicles for hundreds of miles.
All details are logged on a central database, which has 7.6million records of the movements of motorists tracked by more than 4,000 cameras across the country.
Read more
The police are now in charge and they don't want this to happen.
It's NOT about finding/tracking terrorists but about following ordinary people. NuLiebore just wanted control and the Coalition may think it's too good to give up.
Incredible that they were installed in the first place.
** I was going to comment on the decision to remove secret cameras which monitor the Muslim population of Birmingham. I've decided not to get embroiled in this one. Again, the cameras shouldn't have been put up and they are offensive. But they are offensive to all members of the population.
Read the ANPR story from the Daily Mail below.
Captain Gatso
Police face restrictions on the use of a 'Big Brother' network of thousands of cameras tracking up to 14million motorists a day.
The controversial Automatic Number Plate Recognition system takes photographs of car number plates, allowing officers to follow individual vehicles for hundreds of miles.
All details are logged on a central database, which has 7.6million records of the movements of motorists tracked by more than 4,000 cameras across the country.
Read more
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
How the police can save a fortune - without sacking officers
I see that today the funding of police forces comes into the searchlight.
As we have said before at speedaholics (mainly on the blog) the police don't need to be running around in top-of-the-range cars.
Why does an Inspector need a fancy BMW?
At one point on Speedaholics we actually gave details of the luxury cars and their number plates which were spotted in the police station car parks.
It might be worth doing this again just to underline how the police waste their resources.
Let's not feel too bad for them - times have been good under Labour.
Unheard of new powers; the biggest police force in history; the biggest overtime budget EVER and a crass approach to dealing with the public as 'the enemy'.
It's going to take the police service years to put right the damage they have caused in their relationship between them and the public.
As motorists we are pleased to see their wallets being attacked without any recourse to whether it's right or wrong.
Now you know how the general public feels.
Captain Gatso
As we have said before at speedaholics (mainly on the blog) the police don't need to be running around in top-of-the-range cars.
Why does an Inspector need a fancy BMW?
At one point on Speedaholics we actually gave details of the luxury cars and their number plates which were spotted in the police station car parks.
It might be worth doing this again just to underline how the police waste their resources.
Let's not feel too bad for them - times have been good under Labour.
Unheard of new powers; the biggest police force in history; the biggest overtime budget EVER and a crass approach to dealing with the public as 'the enemy'.
It's going to take the police service years to put right the damage they have caused in their relationship between them and the public.
As motorists we are pleased to see their wallets being attacked without any recourse to whether it's right or wrong.
Now you know how the general public feels.
Captain Gatso
Monday, 28 June 2010
Parking wardens giving out 'illegal' fines to hit targets
If ever you need any reasons to fully understand why we at Motorists Aganist Detection are so fed-up with motorists being the centre of fundraising tactics then this story explains it all.
We are an easy terget and we have few legal rights to combat false speed and parking tickets. The authorities have been abusing us for years and here's the truth from the Daily Mail.....
Motorists have been tricked into paying tens of thousands of pounds in 'illegal' parking tickets issued so that wardens can meet targets.
Thousands of the wrongful tickets have been paid by drivers who were unaware that they should have been cancelled by the council contractors who dole them out.
Read more.
This is fraud! People should be arrested! And will the finesbe handed back? We don't think so.
As we say: always, ALWAYS contest a parking or a speeding ticket. They are often wrong.
We are an easy terget and we have few legal rights to combat false speed and parking tickets. The authorities have been abusing us for years and here's the truth from the Daily Mail.....
Motorists have been tricked into paying tens of thousands of pounds in 'illegal' parking tickets issued so that wardens can meet targets.
Thousands of the wrongful tickets have been paid by drivers who were unaware that they should have been cancelled by the council contractors who dole them out.
Read more.
This is fraud! People should be arrested! And will the finesbe handed back? We don't think so.
As we say: always, ALWAYS contest a parking or a speeding ticket. They are often wrong.
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Angry Britain blogs on petrol price
I think this writer manages to sum up how many people feel on the subject of petrol prices.
Good work Angry Britain!
Read his blog
And talking about being angry.
Can the BBC News stop being the mouthpiece for a discredited government?
On the News at Ten last Thursday, the anchor threw to a reporter standing outside a petrol station and they discussed that oil is priced in dollars and that it flucuates and that prices will most certainly go UP!
Can I just point out, yet again, that petrol prices could come DOWN tonight if the Government adjusted its 80% tax rate.
Or is that all a bit too simple?
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Good work Angry Britain!
Read his blog
And talking about being angry.
Can the BBC News stop being the mouthpiece for a discredited government?
On the News at Ten last Thursday, the anchor threw to a reporter standing outside a petrol station and they discussed that oil is priced in dollars and that it flucuates and that prices will most certainly go UP!
Can I just point out, yet again, that petrol prices could come DOWN tonight if the Government adjusted its 80% tax rate.
Or is that all a bit too simple?
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Monday, 12 April 2010
Motorway protest plan over rising fuel prices
At last! Can't believe this has taken so long to come about. At £6 a gallon we ALL need to man the barricades.
HUNDREDS of bikers and motorists are expected to stage a go-slow protest along one of the North of England's main motorways after petrol prices have soared to an all-time high.
The demonstration on the first Bank Holiday weekend in May has been organised along the M62 between Yorkshire and Lancashire amid widespread condemnation of the UK's fuel costs.
The RAC revealed on Thursday last week that the average price of a litre of petrol at the pumps is now 120p, eclipsing the previous peak of 119.7p set in July 2008.
More than 1,500 bikers and motorists are expected to join the go-slow convey leaving Hartshead Moor Services, near Huddersfield, on May 1.
The protesters will meet at 9am before joining a second convoy at Birch Services, on the M62 near Middleton.
Taking up all the motorway lanes at no more than 25 miles an hour, they will head for Manchester Town Hall to be joined by more demonstrators on foot.
A spokesman for the protest said: "We hope to beat the turn-out for a similar protest in 2008 and will do it on Saturday out of compassion for those who are trying to earn a decent crust at work."
The new record petrol prices came days after the Government raised fuel duty by 1p a litre. A further 1p rise is due in the autumn, with a 0.76p increase planned for next January.
The RAC blamed the increase on a combination of factors.
Primarily, the weak pound and the increase in the wholesale price of fuel had produced a steady rise since the beginning of the year. Also, tax rises since December 2008 have added around 10p to the cost of a litre of fuel.
The AA said a two-car family had seen its monthly petrol costs rise from £233.32 to £254.60.
With the pound 13.5 per cent weaker now than 18 months ago, it is likely that the pump price of petrol will rise another 1p to about 121p a litre.
HUNDREDS of bikers and motorists are expected to stage a go-slow protest along one of the North of England's main motorways after petrol prices have soared to an all-time high.
The demonstration on the first Bank Holiday weekend in May has been organised along the M62 between Yorkshire and Lancashire amid widespread condemnation of the UK's fuel costs.
The RAC revealed on Thursday last week that the average price of a litre of petrol at the pumps is now 120p, eclipsing the previous peak of 119.7p set in July 2008.
More than 1,500 bikers and motorists are expected to join the go-slow convey leaving Hartshead Moor Services, near Huddersfield, on May 1.
The protesters will meet at 9am before joining a second convoy at Birch Services, on the M62 near Middleton.
Taking up all the motorway lanes at no more than 25 miles an hour, they will head for Manchester Town Hall to be joined by more demonstrators on foot.
A spokesman for the protest said: "We hope to beat the turn-out for a similar protest in 2008 and will do it on Saturday out of compassion for those who are trying to earn a decent crust at work."
The new record petrol prices came days after the Government raised fuel duty by 1p a litre. A further 1p rise is due in the autumn, with a 0.76p increase planned for next January.
The RAC blamed the increase on a combination of factors.
Primarily, the weak pound and the increase in the wholesale price of fuel had produced a steady rise since the beginning of the year. Also, tax rises since December 2008 have added around 10p to the cost of a litre of fuel.
The AA said a two-car family had seen its monthly petrol costs rise from £233.32 to £254.60.
With the pound 13.5 per cent weaker now than 18 months ago, it is likely that the pump price of petrol will rise another 1p to about 121p a litre.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Robbers given lower fines than motorists caught speeding
If ever you needed to see how the politicians see motorists as being a cash cow then read this story in the Mail.
Robbers are walking away from court with lower fines than those given to motorists caught speeding or parking without a ticket.
In one year, the average fine handed to muggers by magistrates was only £47.
A minor parking infringement earns a £120 ticket in London, or £70 outside the capital. Speeding carries a £60 penalty.
Read the Daily Mail article
Robbers are walking away from court with lower fines than those given to motorists caught speeding or parking without a ticket.
In one year, the average fine handed to muggers by magistrates was only £47.
A minor parking infringement earns a £120 ticket in London, or £70 outside the capital. Speeding carries a £60 penalty.
Read the Daily Mail article
And they're off!
So the election starts. We will be watching what's in it for the long-suffering motorists and comment here.
Motorists Against Detection will also be unveiling our very own election manifesto shortly.
Anyone concerned with how politicians have been kicking us over the past 13 years will be interested to hear what we are calling for.
As a powerful but underrepresented voice we can work together to ensure that the political parties take note of us.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
PS I saw a garage yesterday with petrol at £1.24 a litre - and there's still no protests or riots. What has happened to us?
Motorists Against Detection will also be unveiling our very own election manifesto shortly.
Anyone concerned with how politicians have been kicking us over the past 13 years will be interested to hear what we are calling for.
As a powerful but underrepresented voice we can work together to ensure that the political parties take note of us.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
PS I saw a garage yesterday with petrol at £1.24 a litre - and there's still no protests or riots. What has happened to us?
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
1 in 1,800 speeding cops get speeding tickets
You don't really need me to comment on the story in today's Sun: Gatso let-off for speeding cops.
I've made plain on this blog several times that one of the best ways to avoid a speeding ticket is to wear a uniform.
No surprise that *all* of the investigated cases were of police on emergency calls. Nice work!
It would be nice to find out just how many OFF DUTY police officers are let off.
Now that really would be a story.
Capt Gatso
The Motorists Friend
I've made plain on this blog several times that one of the best ways to avoid a speeding ticket is to wear a uniform.
No surprise that *all* of the investigated cases were of police on emergency calls. Nice work!
It would be nice to find out just how many OFF DUTY police officers are let off.
Now that really would be a story.
Capt Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Friday, 5 February 2010
Britain's roads: worse than a third world country
If you need proof that Gordon Brown has bankrupted the country - then look no further than the roads we drive on.
We pay a fortune in road tax, an extortionate amount in fuel taxes and yet we still have roads to embarrass a banana republic.
It might cost £10billion to put right. I might be imagining it but Gordon's about to put up taxes to pay for it.....
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
The Daily Mail
Britain's road network in £10billion pothole pit as winter ravages roads
Roads are in need of billions of pounds of repairs after two cold winters which have left them pitted with with thousands of potholes, experts warned yesterday.
The number of holes in the nation's roads is estimated to have leapt by 60 per cent after the two icy winters and the cost of fixing them all is put at around £10billion.
There are now thought be at least 1.6million in England and Wales, making life a misery for motorists and cyclists.
Read more
We pay a fortune in road tax, an extortionate amount in fuel taxes and yet we still have roads to embarrass a banana republic.
It might cost £10billion to put right. I might be imagining it but Gordon's about to put up taxes to pay for it.....
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
The Daily Mail
Britain's road network in £10billion pothole pit as winter ravages roads
Roads are in need of billions of pounds of repairs after two cold winters which have left them pitted with with thousands of potholes, experts warned yesterday.
The number of holes in the nation's roads is estimated to have leapt by 60 per cent after the two icy winters and the cost of fixing them all is put at around £10billion.
There are now thought be at least 1.6million in England and Wales, making life a misery for motorists and cyclists.
Read more
Monday, 1 February 2010
London councils' three-decade parking error revealed
Well done to the campaigners who have managed to have a great success on parking bays.
[Read more: Five London councils may have to repay millions of pounds of parking fines to motorists after a BBC London investigation proved hundreds of their parking bays have been unlawfully operated for decades. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8490074.stm]
As Neil Herron says: "Fairness and justice is a two-way street and councils now have a duty to refund those fined unlawfully."
Here at MAD we agree with that sentiment. However, we believe that all councils will try to aviod paying out saying it's too drastic to refund everyone.
Plus they can't afford to.
Well tough luck. You effectively stole the money from innocent people and should pay them back the fine plus interest.
Hopefully the legal fightback by the put-upon motorist in this country is now beginning.
It's especially interesting that the authorities hide behind laws they haven't implemented properly to persecute motorists and they will try to hide behind them to continue this war.
Pay up and shut up!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
[Read more: Five London councils may have to repay millions of pounds of parking fines to motorists after a BBC London investigation proved hundreds of their parking bays have been unlawfully operated for decades. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8490074.stm]
As Neil Herron says: "Fairness and justice is a two-way street and councils now have a duty to refund those fined unlawfully."
Here at MAD we agree with that sentiment. However, we believe that all councils will try to aviod paying out saying it's too drastic to refund everyone.
Plus they can't afford to.
Well tough luck. You effectively stole the money from innocent people and should pay them back the fine plus interest.
Hopefully the legal fightback by the put-upon motorist in this country is now beginning.
It's especially interesting that the authorities hide behind laws they haven't implemented properly to persecute motorists and they will try to hide behind them to continue this war.
Pay up and shut up!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Harriet Harman escapes driving ban
People have been asking why I haven't blogged anything on our esteemed MP Harriet Harman dodging a driving ban for using a mobile phone when she drove into another car.
The simple answer is: the result is no surprise. NewLiebore believe that normal laws don't apply to them (see anything on Baroness Scotland for this).
You or I would have been banned, loads of points and given a dressing down. Public schoolgirl Harriett didn't think the matter important enough to even bother turning up for court.
The interesting issue for me is a cabinet minister being caught TWICE speeding in a 30mph zone. Where is the outcry for that? How can these idiots criticise motorists? Double standards, hypocrites etc etc.
I despair. Bring on the election and let's consign these idiots to history.
Should you be interested in reading more: click here
The simple answer is: the result is no surprise. NewLiebore believe that normal laws don't apply to them (see anything on Baroness Scotland for this).
You or I would have been banned, loads of points and given a dressing down. Public schoolgirl Harriett didn't think the matter important enough to even bother turning up for court.
The interesting issue for me is a cabinet minister being caught TWICE speeding in a 30mph zone. Where is the outcry for that? How can these idiots criticise motorists? Double standards, hypocrites etc etc.
I despair. Bring on the election and let's consign these idiots to history.
Should you be interested in reading more: click here
Monday, 28 December 2009
Happy Xmas from the Speed Camera Partnerships
Well, not really a happy Xmas - or a happy new year - come to that after they have been told to reveal how much speed cameras earn.
This will underline what I have been sayig for years that speed cameras were never about safety. If that was the case they would be outside schools and hospitals and high streets. But no, the authorities had to raise cash for their silly schemes. (Speed is a factor in less than 5% of accidents - Govt figures).
Anyway enjoy this great story in today's Sun.... (With quotes from me!)
SPEED cameras were condemned as mere money makers last night after cops were ordered to reveal the huge sums raised.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2785613/Bonanza-gatso-hauls-exposed.html#ixzz0azbrcrRN
This will underline what I have been sayig for years that speed cameras were never about safety. If that was the case they would be outside schools and hospitals and high streets. But no, the authorities had to raise cash for their silly schemes. (Speed is a factor in less than 5% of accidents - Govt figures).
Anyway enjoy this great story in today's Sun.... (With quotes from me!)
SPEED cameras were condemned as mere money makers last night after cops were ordered to reveal the huge sums raised.
England's busiest Gatso at the bottom of the M11 outside London raked in an estimated �2.3MILLION in five years as it flashed 38,243 drivers breaking the 50mph limit.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2785613/Bonanza-gatso-hauls-exposed.html#ixzz0azbrcrRN
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Petrol price war
To be honest I don't really care - fuel is needlessly overpriced (or that should be over-taxed) and I'm still amazed we aren't having major protests again.
Supermarkets launch pre-Christmas petrol price war
Two of Britain's supermarkets have sparked a petrol price war as they cut the cost of fuel.
Asda and Tesco have both dropped the price of their unleaded and diesel by up to three pence a litre, saying they are passing on a cut in oil prices.
Supermarkets launch pre-Christmas petrol price war
Two of Britain's supermarkets have sparked a petrol price war as they cut the cost of fuel.
Asda and Tesco have both dropped the price of their unleaded and diesel by up to three pence a litre, saying they are passing on a cut in oil prices.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
'Dangerous' speed camera rakes in £500,000 a year
Well done to Paul Pearson for persisting in find out about this camera - remeber the vast majority of speed cameras are all about the money!
We have flagged up this particular camera before and it should be removed.
And it's nice to see a FoI request being refused by these people and then overturned. They had no right to refuse.
£500k a year. Blimey! Do you think they will remove this camera?
There's absolutely no chance whatsoever.
Captain Gatso
Read the story in the Telegraph
A motorway speed camera blamed for causing accidents generates up to half a million pounds a year in fines.
Crashes have risen by almost a quarter and casualties have almost doubled since the camera was installed on a busy stretch of the M11 in Essex, in 2000.
Now, details revealed under Freedom of Information legislation, show that the device results in up to 9,000 speeding tickets a year, enough to raise around £500,000.
Campaigners have accused the authorities of refusing to remove the camera, despite it being linked to accidents, because of the revenue it brings them.
Paul Pearson, who runs motoring website penaltychargenotice.co.uk, said: "No wonder they haven't removed the camera that is causing these accidents. It is just raising too much money and they clearly want to keep it there."
Essex Police, which runs the camera together with Essex Council and the Highways Agency, had initially refused a Freedom of Information request by Mr Pearson for details about the speeding tickets issued by the machine.
But after a ruling by the Information Commissioner, the police have been forced to disclose that in 2003 alone the M11 camera was responsible for 9,639 fines and a further 8,451 in 2004. The following year 9,047 motorists were caught by the camera and in 2006 a total of 7,801 were sent fines. In 2007, the number fell to 3,305. There are no complete figures for 2008, but in the year up to May 2009, the number of fines had risen to 6,445.
We have flagged up this particular camera before and it should be removed.
And it's nice to see a FoI request being refused by these people and then overturned. They had no right to refuse.
£500k a year. Blimey! Do you think they will remove this camera?
There's absolutely no chance whatsoever.
Captain Gatso
Read the story in the Telegraph
A motorway speed camera blamed for causing accidents generates up to half a million pounds a year in fines.
Crashes have risen by almost a quarter and casualties have almost doubled since the camera was installed on a busy stretch of the M11 in Essex, in 2000.
Now, details revealed under Freedom of Information legislation, show that the device results in up to 9,000 speeding tickets a year, enough to raise around £500,000.
Campaigners have accused the authorities of refusing to remove the camera, despite it being linked to accidents, because of the revenue it brings them.
Paul Pearson, who runs motoring website penaltychargenotice.co.uk, said: "No wonder they haven't removed the camera that is causing these accidents. It is just raising too much money and they clearly want to keep it there."
Essex Police, which runs the camera together with Essex Council and the Highways Agency, had initially refused a Freedom of Information request by Mr Pearson for details about the speeding tickets issued by the machine.
But after a ruling by the Information Commissioner, the police have been forced to disclose that in 2003 alone the M11 camera was responsible for 9,639 fines and a further 8,451 in 2004. The following year 9,047 motorists were caught by the camera and in 2006 a total of 7,801 were sent fines. In 2007, the number fell to 3,305. There are no complete figures for 2008, but in the year up to May 2009, the number of fines had risen to 6,445.
Monday, 26 October 2009
Posties - don't rush back!
It's not all bad news with post strike. If you've been flashed and are expecting a summons then if lands 14 days after the 'offence' the paperwork is null and void.
This is from today's Sun:
Speeding fines hit by strike
TENS of thousands of motorists will dodge speed camera fines because of the mail strikes.
Drivers cannot be convicted unless they receive notification of their offence within two weeks.
And the postal workers' stoppages last week mean about 20,000 notices of intended prosecution a day have got stuck in the backlog and will not be delivered on time.
Thousands more will be buried in the mail mountain if this week's three-day strike goes ahead on Thursday.
Motorists using the legal loophole will escape a £60 fine and three points on their licence for speeding or jumping a red light.
A driver who already has nine points will dodge a six-month ban.
The authorities rake in about £6million a week from 100,000 speeding and other traffic fines.
The delayed notices could lose them about £1.2million a day.
Road traffic lawyer Chris Sweetman said: "If a notice arrives more than 14 days after the alleged offence the driver cannot be prosecuted because it would be 'out of time' in a court."
Anti-speed camera campaigner Captain Gatso said: "This may be the only silver lining to the postal strike."
Royal Mail chief Adam Crozier yesterday said he hoped union chiefs making "nonsense" claims would "shut up" and "common sense" would prevail when they meet bosses for fresh talks today.
Up to 120,000 workers are set to strike again from Thursday.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2698934/Speeding-fines-hit-by-postal-strike.html#ixzz0V3K0YYQW
This is from today's Sun:
Speeding fines hit by strike
TENS of thousands of motorists will dodge speed camera fines because of the mail strikes.
Drivers cannot be convicted unless they receive notification of their offence within two weeks.
And the postal workers' stoppages last week mean about 20,000 notices of intended prosecution a day have got stuck in the backlog and will not be delivered on time.
Thousands more will be buried in the mail mountain if this week's three-day strike goes ahead on Thursday.
Motorists using the legal loophole will escape a £60 fine and three points on their licence for speeding or jumping a red light.
A driver who already has nine points will dodge a six-month ban.
The authorities rake in about £6million a week from 100,000 speeding and other traffic fines.
The delayed notices could lose them about £1.2million a day.
Road traffic lawyer Chris Sweetman said: "If a notice arrives more than 14 days after the alleged offence the driver cannot be prosecuted because it would be 'out of time' in a court."
Anti-speed camera campaigner Captain Gatso said: "This may be the only silver lining to the postal strike."
Royal Mail chief Adam Crozier yesterday said he hoped union chiefs making "nonsense" claims would "shut up" and "common sense" would prevail when they meet bosses for fresh talks today.
Up to 120,000 workers are set to strike again from Thursday.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2698934/Speeding-fines-hit-by-postal-strike.html#ixzz0V3K0YYQW
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Great gag about Brown pleases me
This gag on The Sun's comment website sums up my feelings on the news that we owe £25,000 thanks to that surly Scottish twat Brown.
On top this, the 'financial genius' that is Brown used to point how the economy was growing and with excellent job creation.
Well, he was right. ALL of the jobs created are in the public sector. Firms generated just 0.5% of new jobs.
No-one in their right mind will vote for this bunch of clowns again will they?
Anyway:
MacDoom was looking for a call girl. He found three such ladies of the night in a local pub. There was a blonde, a brunette and a redhead.
To the blonde, he said, 'I am the Prime Minister of England. Now how much would it cost me to spend some time with you?'
She replied, "I'll do it for £2000."
To the brunette, he asked the same question. Her reply was "I'll take £1000."
He then asked the redhead, hoping for a bargain.
Her reply was, 'Mr. Prime Minister, if you can get my skirt up as high as my taxes, my pants as low as my wages, get that thing of yours as hard as the times we are living in, and keep it rising like the price of petrol, keep me warmer than it is in my flat and screw me the way you have the pensioners, then it isn't going to cost you a bloody penny!'
(with thanks to the poster muzungu).
On top this, the 'financial genius' that is Brown used to point how the economy was growing and with excellent job creation.
Well, he was right. ALL of the jobs created are in the public sector. Firms generated just 0.5% of new jobs.
No-one in their right mind will vote for this bunch of clowns again will they?
Anyway:
MacDoom was looking for a call girl. He found three such ladies of the night in a local pub. There was a blonde, a brunette and a redhead.
To the blonde, he said, 'I am the Prime Minister of England. Now how much would it cost me to spend some time with you?'
She replied, "I'll do it for £2000."
To the brunette, he asked the same question. Her reply was "I'll take £1000."
He then asked the redhead, hoping for a bargain.
Her reply was, 'Mr. Prime Minister, if you can get my skirt up as high as my taxes, my pants as low as my wages, get that thing of yours as hard as the times we are living in, and keep it rising like the price of petrol, keep me warmer than it is in my flat and screw me the way you have the pensioners, then it isn't going to cost you a bloody penny!'
(with thanks to the poster muzungu).
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Where are the riots??
Where is the anger? Why aren't people taking to the streets?
Petrol is about to reach £1.10 and yet we are all sat here doing nothing.
These New Labour clowns have a lot to answer for. It's ridiculous.
Someone, ANYONE, start the fuel protests again before the entire goes bankrupt.
Unbelievable.
An Amazed Captain Gatso
Petrol is about to reach £1.10 and yet we are all sat here doing nothing.
These New Labour clowns have a lot to answer for. It's ridiculous.
Someone, ANYONE, start the fuel protests again before the entire goes bankrupt.
Unbelievable.
An Amazed Captain Gatso
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