Department for Transport to consult on speeding penalty reforms
The Department for Transport has confirmed that it will consult on reforms of the speeding penalty system.
The Department is to seek views on proposals for introducing a range of new penalties for speeding and other motoring offences, including variable licence endorsements (“points”) for offences of differing gravity.
At present, speeding offences are automatically punished by three points on a driver’s licence, with higher penalties – including disqualification – available for other offences, such as drink driving and dangerous driving.
Anyone who receives twelve points or more in a three year period is automatically banned from driving.
The Department for Transport is planning to consult on a variable range of penalties for speeding offences, ranging from two points to six points, depending on the margin over the speed limit.
The Government is believed to be concerned about the number of people losing their licences and about public resentment of speed cameras.
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, confirming that the plans will be consulted upon after June 10’s elections, explained, “I think it is important to differentiate between somebody who does one or two miles over the limit and those who are driving 30 or 40 miles over the limit.”
He added, “We must reduce speeding but the public must have confidence that the punishment fits the crime.”
The plans have been welcomed by many road safety associations, and by other political parties.
Conservative environment and transport spokesperson Theresa May commented, “This is not the first time that the Government has decided to adopt Conservative suggestions on road safety. In the past few weeks, they have already adopted our proposals on increasing speed limits on motorways, introducing driver education courses, and reducing speed limits outside schools, and now they are accepting our proposal for variable points.
“Not only are they beginning to adopt our policies, they’re now adopting our language too”, she added.
In April, the Conservatives launched a “Safe Driving Ten Point Plan”, which proposed a variable points scale with penalties ranging from one to six points for offences of differing seriousness.
Under the new points system proposed by the Department for Transport, a motorist driving at 35 mph in a 30 mph zone would receive two points. A driver driving at 50 mph in a 30 mph zone would receive four points, and someone driving at 60 mph in that zone would receive six points.
