Safe Speed Forums

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7061075.stm

25/10/2007

Innocent driver's cashback demand

A motorist who says it cost him £300 to attend a speed awareness course, only to have his speeding ticket then cancelled, wants his money back.

Dave Charlton, from Northumberland, was one of 3,000 drivers to have their tickets scrapped near Bangor, Gwynedd.

He said he was now out of pocket for an offence he had not committed.

The Arrive Alive Partnership, which runs speed cameras in north Wales, said it was dealing with the case, and was confident it would be sorted out soon.

A regular visitor to north Wales, Mr Charlton was travelling along the A5 in December 2006 at Maesgeirchen, when his wife spotted a speed camera van.

The supply teacher says he looked at the speedometer, and claims it showed he was travelling at 30-31 mph.

However, a few weeks later he received a notice of intended prosecution for travelling at 35 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Mr Charlton said he agreed to take a speed awareness course to avoid getting points on his licence, as he drives minibuses in his teaching job.

He said he asked to take the course near his home, but was told he had to do it in north Wales.

After taking a day off work and travelling almost 400 miles to take the course, Mr Charlton received a letter saying his ticket had been cancelled.

Gwynedd Council had not done the paperwork properly to allow a new 30 mph limit to be enforced on the stretch of road.

Mr Charlton admitted the course had been enjoyable, but said he had taken a lot of time and effort attending it.

He has written to North Wales Police and Gwynedd Council asking for his money back.

"I thought, I've done all this for something I shouldn't have had to do, it's cost me probably around £300 with loss of wages, travelling costs, course fee, admin fee.

"I'm out of pocket for an offence I did not commit, basically because someone couldn't do their job properly," he said.

Gwynedd Council said it could not comment as Mr Charlton's was an ongoing case.

The Arrive Alive Partnership said it could not comment in detail.

Anton covered that here.