You break the speed limit, the camera flashes, what happens now?
The photographs of your vehicle will be taken from the camera by one of the police officers employed by the SSCP to the Central Ticket Summons Unit (CTSU). The vehicle registration number is logged on a central computer which, if you are the registered owner of the vehicle, will produce your name and address.
Within 14 days you will receive correspondence from the CTSU, providing the camera was active.
NIP – Notice of Intended Prosecution
This is the first letter you will receive if your vehicle has been identified as the one photographed breaking the speed limit through a static or mobile camera, or jumping a red traffic light.
It asks if you were the driver of the vehicle. You have 28 days to complete the form and return it to the Central Ticket Summons Unit at Sussex Police.
2. Information Form
Whoever receives the form – the registered keeper of the vehicle as provided by the DVLA – must fill in their name and address. Sections 2, 3 and 4 give the person receiving the form the opportunity to say whether it was someone else driving, if it was a vehicle hire car or the car was owned by someone else at the time of the offence. If any of these sections are filled in, a new NIP will be issued to the person you have identified.
3. Reminder of NIP
If you fail to return the NIP, you will receive a reminder which gives you a further 14 days to provide the information.
4. Conditional Offer
If you complete the NIP in the allotted time you will receive a letter with a Conditional Offer. This means you will be offered the chance of paying a £60 fine and your licence will be endorsed with 3 penalty points. This can be done by post. You are required to send the fine and your driving licence, with its counterpart, to the Fixed Penalty Clerk at Brighton Law Courts.
Your licence will be endorsed with three penalty points and returned within a few days.
You may wish to contest the allegation at court, which is your right. However, if magistrates find you guilty you may have to pay court costs of several hundred pounds plus up to the maximum penalty of £1000 and 6 penalty points.
If your licence already has 9 points, and/or your speed was excessive, you will be dealt with directly by the Magistrates’ Court and you will not receive a Conditional Offer.
5. Reminder of Conditional Offer
If you do not reply to the Conditional Offer within 28 days, you will be sent a reminder, which gives you a further 14 days to reply.
If you fail to respond to the NIP or the Conditional Offer, a summons will be issued and you may be required to attend a magistrates’ court in the district where the speeding or red light jumping offence took place where they will deal with you as above.
If you fail to complete or sign the NIP, you will be summonsed for the secondary offence of Failing to Furnish In
Camera Facts
- Safety cameras are designed to remind motorists to drive within the speed limit.
- The cameras are in highly visible yellow boxes and take a photograph of a number plate if a vehicle exceeds the speed limit.
- The police will also operate mobile cameras at problem sites around Sussex.
- Cameras are installed at traffic lights to stop people jumping the red light.
Did you know
A speed camera fine is issued every 15 seconds in the UK. Combined income from speed cameras is expected to rise 4.2% to £118 million in the current financial year, (2006) according to government figures released last week 10/3/06.
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