Worries over speed cameras giving false speeding fines

Australia-resident Blair Allen was driving in Barrack Road in August when he was flashed by the camera doing 20mph in a 30 zone – but the speed camera said he was doing 36mph. 

If it wasn’t for the dashcam footage, Blair wouldn’t have been able to successfully appeal the fine. 

Mark Kilpatrick, of Christchurch, recently passed his driving test but uses Barrack Road regularly on his commute. 

Read more: Motorist receives a speeding ticket in Barrack Road driving under the limit

Blair's dashcam footage showed he wasn't speeding (Image: NQ)

He was recently handed a driving ticket by Dorset Police who claimed he did 38mph. He said it was “impossible” to get to 30mph at the time he was driving. 

The 26-year-old said: “It’s a road I pass through regularly and I know there is a speed camera there. 

“I was flashed on a weekday at half eight in the morning – you'd struggle to get into second gear at that time of day. 

“I didn’t want to appeal it because my insurance premiums will increase – it’s already high as I’m a new driver.” 

Speed camera in Barrack Road (Image: Daily Echo)

Edmund King, AA president, said it is “unclear” why Blair had received a fine as cameras are “generally accurate”. 

“One can only speculate that it was due to human error in the processing department and the camera was perhaps triggered by another vehicle but showed two registrations,” Mr King added. 

“Dashcams are now used by many drivers to offer them protection and to provide evidence in the event of a crash or fraudulent insurance claim collision.  

Speed camera in Barrack Road (Image: NQ)

“The added benefit in this case was the dashcam also proved that the driver wasn't speeding. Many drivers are scared to contest speeding tickets without evidence as they may end in court, so having a dashcam can help to provide evidence and keep you on the right side of the law." 

A spokeswoman for the National Motorists Association said dashcams are a good way for drivers to challenge false speeding tickets, adding: “When a speed camera flashes and you were not speeding, it would be difficult to prove without your own system that gives you evidence of what your vehicle was doing at the time.  

“The only way to fight these kinds of tickets is with dashcam evidence and without that, you would need to challenge the calibration of the device and the last time the device was checked - not always allowed in courts of law.” 

A Dorset Police spokesman defended the speed camera, saying: "We can assure members of the public that the camera involved has been thoroughly checked and we are confident there is no fault with the device.”