Latest news with #GoSafe
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Major change for drivers breaking 20mph speed limit announced
Since the 20mph default speed limit was introduced in Wales, drivers caught exceeding it have been offered an alternative to points or a awareness course. There has been an enforcement operation running, called Operation Ugain, which saw drivers caught being offered a roadside course rather than facing points, a fine, or having to take a lengthier, costlier course. Operation Ugain was funded by Welsh Government, run by Wales' four police forces, three fire services, 22 councils and speed cameras body GoSafe. Read here about how journey times are increasing in Wales as a result of the 20mph limit. READ MORE: Flash flooding hits Cardiff as heavy rain leaves roads deluged with water READ MORE: Bus passenger 'couldn't escape' as woman filmed her and called her a 'nonce' The teams were deployed in January, 2024, and ran until March this year. But GoSafe has now said the scheme has ended, meaning the opt out of fine or a course no longer exists. During the time it was running, stats show 371,315 vehicles were monitored, with 16,679 found to be exceeding the speed limit, meaning an average 96% of vehicles were compliant. In terms of how those drivers' offences were resolved, 99.2% of them were given an engagement session and 129 were prosecuted. The 20mph default law came into force in September, 2023, despite significant opposition and a petition with hundreds of thousands of names. New data shows it has made journey times longer in Wales, but resulted in a fall in average speeds. In January, 2024, WalesOnline joined in a session to see how Operation Ugain worked. At that point, two police officers were joined by a PCSO outside Abergavenny fire station. Using speed guns, they monitored speeds, and anyone pulled over was asked if they wanted to attend a course inside. It lasted 10 minutes. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter. They were shown a presentation about the damage speeding drivers could do and were able to leave without any fine or further action. GoSafe's role is to reduce casualties on Welsh roads, and it works with all Welsh councils, as well as the NHS and fire services. It said enforcement would continue but the Operation Ugain element had now finished. A spokesman said: "GoSafe use the '4E' method to improve road safety; engineering, education, engagement, and enforcement. Enforcement is always the last option and is considered where the risk to people is highest. We'll continue to use these methods to reduce the number of people killed or injured on Welsh roads." The minimum penalty for speeding in Wales is a fixed penalty fine of £100 and three points added to your licence. Receiving 12 or more points within three years may disqualify you from driving. If you're a newly qualified driver and receive six points during the first two years after passing your test, your licence will automatically be cancelled (revoked). To get it back you'll need to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical tests again. If caught by a speed camera you will be notified within 14 days. As the driver, depending on the speed and your eligibility, once you've responded to the notice you'll be sent: an option for a speed awareness course, which costs but will not result in penalty points a fixed penalty notice or a letter telling you to go to court Police officers can also stop you for speeding. If that happens, they can give you a verbal warning, send you a fixed penalty notice, offer a speed awareness course or order you to go to court – you'll receive a letter explaining what to do. GoSafe has enforcement cameras located at sites across Wales. The locations of those is based on collision data, risk of injury and or community concerns and we enforce across all speed limits; including 20mph limits.
North Wales Live
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
Drivers caught breaking 20mph speed limit face major change
Since the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit in Wales, drivers caught breaching it have been offered an alternative to penalty points or an awareness course. An enforcement operation named Operation Ugain was launched, offering drivers caught speeding a roadside course, instead of facing penalty points, a fine, or having to take a more extensive, expensive course. This initiative was funded by the Welsh Government and run by Wales' four police forces, three fire services, 22 councils and the speed camera body GoSafe. The teams were deployed in January 2024 and ran until March this year. However, GoSafe has now announced that the scheme has ended, meaning the option to avoid a fine or a course no longer exists. During its operation, statistics show that 371,315 vehicles were monitored, with 16,679 found to be exceeding the speed limit, indicating an average compliance rate of 96%. Regarding how these drivers' offences were resolved, 99.2% of them were given an engagement session and 129 were prosecuted. The 20mph default law was enforced in September 2023, despite significant opposition and a petition signed by hundreds of thousands. New data indicates that while it has extended journey times in Wales, it has also resulted in a decrease in average speeds. In January 2024, WalesOnline participated in a session to see how Operation Ugain functioned, reports Wales Online. Two police officers and a PCSO stationed themselves outside Abergavenny fire station, where they used speed guns to monitor the speeds of passing vehicles. Any motorists who were pulled over were offered the opportunity to attend a brief 10-minute course inside the station. They were shown a presentation about the damage speeding drivers could do and were able to leave without any fine or further action. GoSafe's role is to reduce casualties on Welsh roads, and it works with all Welsh councils, as well as the NHS and fire services. It said enforcement would continue but the Operation Ugain element had now finished. A spokesman said: "GoSafe use the "4E" method to improve road safety; engineering, education, engagement, and enforcement. Enforcement is always the last option and is considered where the risk to people is highest. We'll continue to use these methods to reduce the number of people killed or injured on Welsh roads." The minimum penalty for speeding in Wales is a fixed penalty fine of £100 and three points added to your licence. Receiving 12 or more points within three years may disqualify you from driving. If you're a newly qualified driver and receive six points during the first two years after passing your test, your licence will automatically be cancelled (revoked). To get it back you'll need to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical tests again. If caught by a speed camera you will be notified within 14 days. As the driver, depending on the speed and your eligibility, once you've responded to the notice you'll be sent: an option for a speed awareness course, which costs but will not result in penalty points a fixed penalty notice or a letter telling you to go to court Police officers can also stop you for speeding. If that happens, they can give you a verbal warning, send you a fixed penalty notice, offer a speed awareness course or order you to go to court – you'll receive a letter explaining what to do. GoSafe has enforcement cameras located at sites across Wales. The locations of those is based on collision data, risk of injury and or community concerns and we enforce across all speed limits; including 20mph limits.
South Wales Argus
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
The worst speeding drivers, and roads, in Gwent revealed
Gwent Police issued more than 35,000 Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) for speeding offences in a year, with the number of offences increasing by 85 per cent compared to two years ago. Legal Expert obtained the data, which showed that 35,112 people were informed they had exceeded the speed limit in the year ending March 2025. The number of NIPs issued has increased by almost 5,000 compared to the 30,437 sent out in 2023/24, with an 85 per cent surge in offences compared to two years ago. Speeding drivers receive a minimum of three points on their licence, with 12 points within three years resulting in disqualification from driving. The fixed penalty for speeding is £100, resulting in a potential penalty total of £3,511,200 in 2024/25. However, many NIPs did not lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice. The top 20 roads for speeding offences in Gwent have been identified. A constant stream of drivers on Lower Race, Pontypool, received NIPs, with 4,064 notices issued, averaging around 11 per day. The Newport stretch of the M4 appears nine times in the top 20, including seven of the worst 10 roads. The eastbound section of the motorway from Junction 25 to Junction 24 had the highest number of offences, with 2,953 drivers issued with NIPs. The A48 Southern Distribution Road, which topped last year's list, is absent from this year's top 20. The worst speeding offenders have also been revealed, with the highest speeds recorded between Junctions 26 and 25A on the M4, with one driver clocked at a massive 118mph. Another offender was caught travelling at a staggering 111mph on Lower Race, almost three times the 40mph speed limit. GoSafe said: "Excessive speed is one of the largest contributory factors to collisions on our roads. "Higher speed collisions often means a higher severity and a devastating impact on families. "GoSafe will continue to use the '4E' method to improve road safety: engineering, education, engagement, and enforcement. "Enforcement is always the last option and is considered where the risk to people is highest. "We'll continue to use these methods to reduce the number of people killed or injured on Welsh roads." Gwent Police declined to comment.
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Leader Live
20mph: Over 600 drivers caught twice the speed limit in Flintshire
New data gathered by Legal Expert reveals that 655 people were caught going at least double the speed limit on 20mph roads in the county between April 2024 and April 2025. Legal Expert's research shows that almost two-thirds of those offences were on just three roads. In just one year, 298 people were caught going 40mph or over on the A5104 Pontybodkin. That includes one driver clocked at 85mph in September 2024. Another 74 went at least double the speed limit on the A548 Greenfield, as did 70 people on Gladstone Way when passing through Hawarden. The Welsh government introduced 20mph as the default speed limit in September 2023, sparking widespread debate. While some roads are set to revert back to 30mph limits, Denbighshire County Council has said that it will resist calls to change. Flintshire is due to see some of its roads go back to 30mph, although these figures show that many drivers will still be in excess of the allowed speed. Legal Expert found that incidents involving drivers going well over the limit appear to be falling. An average of 67 drivers per month were recorded going over 39mph in a 20mph zone from April to September 2024, but that average fell to 46 in the following six-month period. One such motorist to have been sentenced for going twice the 20mph speed limit was - Matthew Dickin, of New Road, Dobshill, who appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Friday. The 54-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to one offence of speeding, which took place on July 6 last year. Prosecutor Shaun Bartlett-Evans told the court that on the morning of the offence, a speed camera on the A549 at Mynydd Isa caught the defendant travelling at 42mph in a Land Rover motor vehicle. Magistrates chair Stephen Copple handed down six penalty points - putting Dickin only three away from an automatic ban should he find himself back in court for any more motoring offences. Furthermore, he must pay a fine of £586, victim surcharge of £234 and costs of £130, which he agreed to pay within 28 days. MORE NEWS: The 'worst' driving offence in North Wales was on a 20mph road. In May last year, a person travelling on the B5129 in Pentre went 88mph, a full 68mph above the legal limit. On the A483, North Wales Police recorded one driver going 116mph, the highest speed recorded across North Wales in the past year. Nine drivers were seen travelling westbound on the A55 Rhuallt Hill at 100mph or over. A GoSafe spokesperson said: "Excessive speed is one of the largest contributory factors to collisions on our roads. Higher speed collisions often means a higher severity and a devastating impact on families. "GoSafe will continue to use the '4E' method to improve road safety; engineering, education, engagement, and enforcement. Enforcement is always the last option and is considered where the risk to people is highest. "We'll continue to use these methods to reduce the number of people killed or injured on Welsh roads."
Western Telegraph
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- Western Telegraph
Drivers in UK warned as thousands are being wrongly fined
New data has revealed a surge in car cloning in the UK over the past five years, with motoring experts warning the crisis is now spiralling. Criminals typically use cloned plates to commit further crimes, including stealing fuel from petrol stations, evading tolls or fleeing the scenes of accidents. As a result, it is the innocent drivers who have had their number plates cloned who end up with fines, insurance claims, or letters from the police. (Image: KevinHolt/Getty) Valuation specialists at one of the UK's leading car-buying platforms, say the crime is not only damaging innocent motorists' finances and reputations, but also undermining trust in vehicle ownership systems. The experts said: 'Car cloning is fast becoming one of the most distressing issues facing ordinary drivers. 'The worst part is how quickly this issue can snowball. One cloned plate can lead to police letters, insurance claims, even blacklisting from fuel stations – all to someone who's done nothing wrong." also warned that cloning disproportionately affects drivers who own high-demand cars such as German makes or premium SUVs – which are frequently cloned by criminals looking to avoid detection. They said: 'We'd advise drivers of popular models like the BMW 3 Series, VW Golf, or Mercedes GLA to be especially cautious. 'These are among the most commonly cloned vehicles because they're everywhere – and that makes it easier for a cloned version to blend in." These are the best ways to keep yourself safe from car cloning: Reporting any lost or stolen number plates immediately Using anti-theft number plate screws Regularly checking their vehicle record on the DVLA website Keeping a log of any unusual fines or driving correspondence When buying or selling a car, it's crucial to check for anything that seems off – including mismatched documents, suspicious plate bolts, or unusual recent traffic fines. Common speed camera myths Here are some other common speed camera myths: Is it true that speed vans have to be visible at all times? No. There are no laws about visibility, so nothing is stopping an officer from operating in the dark. But they don't often choose to do this and maintain that being visible acts as a deterrent in its own right. Go Safe Casualty Reduction Officer, Gareth Thomas said: "Legally, we don't have to be visible. I could camouflage myself if I wanted to - but it's all about being fair, education and preventing an accident. Even if I parked my van and went for a walk somewhere, it would deter people from speeding right away." Is it illegal to flash your headlights to alert motorists of a GoSafe speed van? If drivers choose to flash to warn others about a speed van, they could be in breach of the law. Under section 89 of the Police Act 1997 it is an offence to "wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty". However, Gareth says while it is an offence, it is very difficult to prove. He said: "It doesn't bother me that people flash to warn them of the speed van - I just want to educate people and the van to act as a speed deterrent." What happens if I am caught speeding? It all comes down to the circumstances within which you were caught speeding, and how much you were more than the limit. The minimum penalty for being caught speeding on the UK's roads is a £100 fine. But Gareth explained in some circumstances, police can offer the option of attending a speed awareness course - an alternative to a fine and penalty points. Gareth, said: "An accredited course is far more likely to improve driver behaviour and consequently make our roads safer. "Courses are available to drivers who respond quickly to the 'notices' and who were driving at no more than 10 per cent, plus 9 mph above the posted speed limit." So for example, anyone travelling over 86mph on a motorway would not be offered the awareness course. Those who don't have a clean licence at the time of the office, or if you have been on the course in the last three years, it is unlikely you will be offered the awareness course as an option.
