Variable speeding fines announced

Proposals for speeding penalties, which vary depending on the severity of the offence, were announced today by transport secretary Alistair Darling.

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Proposals for speeding penalties, which vary depending on the severity of the offence, were announced today by transport secretary Alistair Darling.

According to the proposals, penalties would vary from £40 and two penalty points for drivers caught at only slightly above the speed limit, to £100 and six points for those breaking it by a large amount.

Speed awareness courses would be offered to first-time offenders in the lower speeding category in place of the two penalty points, although these courses would be at the motorist’s expense.

Darling said: ‘We want to ensure the level of the penalty fits the severity of the offence. I hope these courses, and continued enforcement, will encourage the minority of drivers who speed to slow down – for the sake of their and other road users’ safety.’

The proposals were welcomed by the RAC Foundation, which has been campaigning for a scheme of speed-awareness training. Executive director Edmund King said: ‘The Government and police need to maintain the support of the public, so a review of the points system linked to speed awareness courses should help.’

However, Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, was unimpressed. He said: ‘This is simply a continuation of the blind obsession with numerical speed. It hasn’t delivered an improvement in road safety and it never will.’

Under the current system, motorists caught speeding are given a standard £60 fine and three penalty points.