Speeding fines come under fire from top lawyer

The government have recently proposed plans to change the speeding fines from £60 to £100. They’ve called for the proposed increase to make an addition to the funds of the Victims Surcharge program which has recently had a £50 million cut by the government.

The changes have been put forward by Ken Clarke, the Justice Secretary, and they will apply to all motorists, not just those who have been charged with offences serious enough to have to go to court.

A solicitor from one of the leading UK transport law firms has stated that the change to the fine system is not fair. Lucy Wood is an associate at the law firm Rothera Dowson who has stated that because the new fines are applicable to all types of motoring offence they are unfair.

She commented, “This change in the fine system applies to all motoring offences and this means that even those who are convicted of a small speeding offences are going to have to pay the same amount as someone who has caused a death because they were driving dangerously.”

She continued, “It does make sense that the victim surcharge amount is increased but only for those who have committed a serious driving offence. The current propositions are too simplistic and they mean that no consideration is made into the seriousness of the offence that has taken place.

We need to see a sliding scale introduced to reduce complexities in the system but also make it fair.” For more information and legal advice about transport visit www.rotheradowson.co.uk or www.keepmeontheroad.co.uk.