SPEEDING

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Roads minister Stephen Ladyman plans to have speeding bikers' throttles shut down by satellite. Riders breaking the speed limit will receive two warnings before their throttle is cut, leaving them without power. Bikers’ engines will be adapted to carry a spy-in-the-sky control and those who speed will alert satellites, which will send back a warning to the rider.

A beep will sound in the helmet before the saddle starts to shake violently and those who ignore the warnings will have their throttle gradually shut as they ride. Ministers are also planning to use the technology in cars. Experts say it is vital drivers can call on extra power to get out of a dangerous situation and the plan may cost lives.

One expert who trialled the Intelligent Speed Adaptation bike for the government, warned, “This will have profoundly dangerous consequences.” The Transport Department insisted Mr Ladyman is unlikely to make the ISA bike compulsory. So how many will actually 'volunteer' to have this device fitted? (Source: The Sun, Aug/06)

The chief constable of north Wales, Richard Brunstrom, is calling on the government to speak out in support of speed cameras. He said he believed those opposed to the use of cameras have too much influence on road safety policy and wants the Government to consider significant increases in the number of cameras, including hidden devices.

Mr Brunstrom said he believed hidden devices would be far more effective in the reduction of speed than the current system of highly-visible yellow boxes. He accused Tony Blair and his Cabinet of failing to push the case for cameras strongly enough, for fear of the electoral consequences.

Mr Brunstrom said, "I think it is the Jeremy Clarkson effect, the petrolhead lobby, a very vocal, but actually very small group. The evidence is overwhelming that something more than three-quarters of the population of the country support the use of speed cameras in the way the government is doing it."

The policeman cited surveys from around the world which suggest that speed cameras are effective in preventing accidents. He also pointed to research which suggests that hidden devices have a greater impact than visible ones in reducing speed. The decision to paint Britain's cameras yellow in order to win public acceptance of the scheme had been correct, but it was now time to move on to hidden devices, he said.

The number of officers dedicated to traffic duties has fallen over the past decade due to the government decision to prioritise other areas of police work. Mr Brunstrom added, "Police resources have drifted slowly away from road policing because that is the government's intention."

While the number of injuries caused by vehicle accidents was falling "the number of deaths is not going down", said Mr Brunstrom. "That may be partly because of the constraints placed on us as a police service by the existing government rules."

Thousands of drivers are dodging speed fines in cars with foreign plates because councils never bother to chase them up. They also get away with parking illegally because traffic wardens also want to avoid hassle. The scandal emerged after car magazine Auto Express deliberately racked up fines of £880 in a Renault 5 it bought in France, and heard nothing. Offences included defying bus lane cameras, illegal parking in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester and not paying the London congestion charge.

Amazingly, traffic wardens were seen ignoring the car while ticketing motors parked either side. Five tickets which WERE issued went unpaid, and months later the driver had heard nothing. The probe comes as speed cameras are set to go up on the M4 to milk more ordinary motorists. Kent police admits 1,148 foreign cars were caught on speed cameras in 2004 but none was fined. The Birmingham Safety Camera Partnership confessed it regularly deletes images of foreign speeders. (Source: The Sun)

A traffic cop sped at an incredible 159mph, and was caught by the camera equipment in his car. PC Mark Milton wanted to see how fast the souped-up police Vauxhall Vectra could go. He took out the newly-commissioned unmarked motor in the early hours, and allegedly ended up breaking every speed limit in the book during a hair-raising 90-minute ride. He was said to have done 60mph in a 30mph zone, and over 100mph in a 60mph zone. But he really put his foot down on the M54 near his station in Telford, Shrops.

It was claimed that he averaged a speed of 148mph, and at one point hit 159mph. He ended up being accused after colleagues checked the hi-tech equipment in the car. A “black box” computer and camera on board was said to have clocked his speed. Magistrates in Ludlow were shown a video of parts of Milton’s driving taken by the camera pointing through his windscreen. Prosecutor Pat Sullivan told the court, “The driving was grossly excessive. He broke all national limits. His argument is that he was testing the car to its limits.” Milton, from Telford, denied dangerous driving and five specimen speeding offences.

Pc Milton was cleared of speeding and dangerous driving. District Judge Bruce Morgan acquitted him after calling the constable the "creme de la creme" of police drivers. In reaching his verdict, Mr Morgan noted that two police officers who gave evidence for the prosecution, including West Mercia Police's senior driving instructor, had declined to classify the defendant's driving as dangerous. He added, "I can't help but see the irony that those that brought this prosecution are those very people who have purchased cars that go at this speed and paid for him (the defendant) to go to learn to drive at these speeds."

Insp Keith Howes, of the Police Federation, said, "Pc Milton was driving in accordance with his training, honing his skills while possible and testing the vehicle's capabilities so that if he was required on an urgent call he would be driving safely." The court heard the roads on which Pc Milton drove were deserted at the time of the patrol and that driving conditions were good. PC Milton claimed he was "familiarising himself" with the car. So, nearly 160 mph in a car he wasn't familiar with? Doesn't sound too bright.

West Mercia Constabulary has banned its advanced drivers from breaking the speed limit "at their own initiative" in non-emergency situations after widespread criticism. A police spokesman said,

"... Our advanced drivers are trained to an extremely high standard to ensure the safety of the public, themselves and their colleagues. We expect them to exercise professional judgement and common sense at all times and, overwhelmingly, this is what they do. However, to provide further reassurance to members of the public, the Chief Constable has issued an instruction that no officer should exceed speed limits when familiarising themselves with police vehicles or refreshing their driving skills at their own initiative. When reacting to operational incidents which require an emergency response, officers will continue to drive in accordance with their training at speeds that are safe and appropriate for the prevailing road conditions ..."

The West Mercia force also plans to consult with colleagues in other areas to consider if national guidance is required in such circumstances.

Pc Milton later had his acquittal for speeding and dangerous driving overturned after two High Court judges sent the case back to Ludlow Magistrates' Court to be heard again. The judges ruled the district judge erred in law when acquitting the West Mercia officer of dangerous driving, after describing him as the "creme de la creme" of police drivers. Lady Justice Hallett, sitting with Mr Justice Owen, said the district judge had taken into account irrelevant matters, including opinions of senior officers that Pc Milton's driving was not dangerous.

She said that evidence was "simply inadmissible" and an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions against his acquittal would be allowed on that basis. The case has been sent back to Ludlow magistrates for a re-hearing before a differently-constituted bench. After the case, the CPS said in a statement, "We felt it was correct that we should appeal the decision in the case of PC Mark Milton, and we are pleased the Court of Appeal has agreed with us."

But Mr Milton's solicitor, David Twigg, said the ruling would have wide implications for the way police officers are trained. "I think that the court had the impression today that what went on in West Mercia was in some way individual, and idiosyncratic and it wasn't," he said. "The problem is going to be that high speed driving, for operational purposes, is quite frankly, essential if the police force is going to be effective. If that's going to be done safely, it's got to be done by drivers who are practised in doing it in non-operational circumstances when the adrenaline isn't running." (Source: BBC News, Feb/06)

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