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From the archive: Speed traps and the 20mph limit
From The Times: June 25, 1925
Captain Brass and other members of Parliament had a meeting with the officials at Scotland Yard on the subject of police traps. The following agreed statement was issued last night: 'In compliance with the suggestion made by the Home Secretary to a recent deputation of members of Parliament on the question of police traps, a small committee consisting of Sir E Iliffe, Sir F Meyer, Mr Ben Smith, and Captain Brass visited Scotland Yard to discuss the efficacy of the present timing methods of the Metropolitan Police to put down dangerous driving and excessive driving speeds. The committee and the police officials were in complete accord in their desire to prosecute and punish the reckless driver.'The committee, while agreeing that the present method of timing cars acted to a certain extent as a deterrent to excessive driving speeds in certain areas, were of the opinion that this method was not really effective in preventing dangerous driving. They suggested that the police should be stationed in uniform on really dangerous cross-roads and dangerous bends and corners, where excessive speeds had been reported, pointing out that their presence would have the desirable result of preventing fast driving in these areas.'The police officials explained that, whatever may have been the intention of Parliament, a statute had been passed in the Motor Car Act which made excess of the speed limit an offence quite distinct from those of reckless, negligent, or dangerous driving. The Metropolitan Police had throughout refrained from enforcing the letter of the law, for they worked no controls in straight, open stretches free from dangers such as converging roads, nor did they work to 20 miles an hour, but allowed a substantial margin.'Members who have been following the question are particularly interested in the announcement made on behalf of the police that they allow a substantial margin beyond the 20 miles an hour limit. While members regard this as an admission that the existing limit is obsolete, they consider it as an unsatisfactory position that the margin allowed is not revealed and that the police are, therefore, working on what is practically a secret speed limit.
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