Intranetics Motoring News Service

Speed camera rebels defeated in court

2nd July 2007 | BACK     PRINT

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against a pair of drivers who argued they should not be forced to confirm or deny if they were driving at the time of a speeding offence.

Last week, retired motorists Idris Francis and Gerard O'Halloran went to Strasbourg to hear the verdict of their legal cases, reports the Times.

Both were caught on camera breaking UK speed limits but argued the insistence of the police that they confirm if they were behind the wheel was an infringement of their right to remain silent.

Specifically, the road users challenged section 172 of the Road Traffic Act, fellow motorists may be interested to hear.

It was thought that if the drivers were successful in their case, then other motorists who had been issued with speed camera fines might put forward a similar defence, which could potentially jeopardise the future of gatso cameras.

However, 15 of the 17 presiding court judges ruled against the drivers and asserted that their human rights had not been breached by the police.

And one of the drivers has now expressed his surprise at the verdict.

"This is a perverse decision and I am shocked and amazed," said Mr Francis.

"The fight for freedom goes on. We can't allow the tyrants who are taking away our rights to succeed."

However, in a statement, the Department for Transport, has responded positively to the legal decision.

"The government welcomes today's ruling, which confirms that certain responsibilities come with owning or driving a car, including the obligation to inform the authorities of a driver's identity in the event of a suspected offence," it said.

"Similar provisions have existed in UK law since the 1930s."

In related news, motorists may be interested to know that an MP has questioned whether gatso cameras actually cut the number of incidents on UK roads.

Nigel Evans, MP for Ribble Valley, has contended that the policy of introducing speed cameras across the UK "does not work".

He was speaking after the publication of speed camera revenue figures.

According to the Preston Citizen, £3.77 million was raised from gatso speed camera fines during the course of last year.

To put this into context, the UK reportedly earned £3.53 million in 2005.

And the data also highlighted regional differences by showing that North Wales raised seven times as much per resident from speed cameras as Merseyside.

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