Motorists could face a minimum fine of £100 and three penalty points for careless speeding.
Although official guidelines suggest that speed cameras allow a slight leeway for those exceeding the speed limit, this rule alone won’t prevent you from facing penalties. The Metropolitan Police’s guidance indicates that the enforcement threshold for speeding on speed cameras is 10% plus 2mph.
However, this threshold might not save you from trouble with the police, who aren’t obliged to adhere to the same guidelines. The NPCC’s guidance clarifies that this tolerance threshold doesn’t supersede or replace a police officer’s discretion.
Consequently, if a police officer catches you exceeding the speed limit, regardless of the extent, you could still be fined or prosecuted, depending on the severity of the offence. If stopped by the police, they have the authority to issue a verbal warning, provide or later send a fixed penalty notice, or summon you to court over the offence, in which case you will receive an official letter.
RAC guidance also highlights that you are legally committing a speeding offence as soon as you exceed the set speed limit on a road. Therefore, even driving at 31mph in a 30pm zone could land you in hot water – ultimately, it’s up to each police officer’s discretion whether to penalise a driver or not, regardless of how slightly they’re exceeding the speed limit.
The minimum fixed penalty notice for speeding is £100 and three points on your licence, provided you admit to the offence. In some instances, you may be offered the alternative of attending a speed awareness course.
However, if you deny the offence and plead not guilty in court, the fine could significantly increase, along with additional penalty points, should the court find you guilty of speeding.
The amount of the fine can vary, depending on the speed limit and how much over it you were driving when stopped by the police. According to government guidelines, the fine is typically a percentage of your weekly income, capped at £1,000 or £2,500 if the offence occurred on the motorway.
Moreover, you could face disqualification from driving or even have your licence suspended. It’s worth noting that new drivers caught speeding risk losing their licence and having to retake their driving test if they accumulate six or more points within the first two years of holding their licence.
Paying a Speeding Fine
The process of paying a fine can differ based on where in the country you were caught speeding. The rules are not the same in England and Wales as they are in Scotland or Ireland.
England and Wales
In England and Wales you can pay the fine online through the government’s Penalty Notice Portal which will require you to have the penalty notice you received when stopped by a police officer as well as your driving licence where applicable.
Scotland
In Scotland, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for collecting payments of penalties handed out by authorities. Generally, you can pay online, by phone, at court, or through the post – full details of this can be found here.
Northern Ireland
Meanwhile, those caught speeding in Northern Ireland will need to contact the Fixed Penalty office either by dialling 0300 200 7812, or emailing FixPenOffice@courtsni.gov.uk.
