More than 50,000 drivers have been wrongly flashed by the speed camera in Chideock because the road used to mark out a 30mph zone doesn't exist. Every motorist who has been caught by the camera is now being urged to claim back their fines which may be worth more than three million pounds (and over 150,000 penalty points). Dorchester Crown Court overturned lorry driver Alan Dawes conviction for doing 41mph in the 30mph zone of the A35 through Chideock where there are no streetlights.
INSTRUMENT PROBLEM The problem was with the statutory instrument that is required by law to designate a 30mph zone where there are no streetlights. It measured the eastern end of the village where the zone runs from a Seatown Road' in the centre of the village. It emerged during Mr Dawe's appeal that there was no street of that name.
WATCHING THE WATCHERS Mr Dawe originally appealed on the grounds that the signs did not comply with regulations, only to discover a totally different flaw in his conviction. He said: "I was just lucky that I had been looking at the traffic sign regulations just a few weeks before. We are in a world where a lot of rules are added and people think we are being watched by big brother, but we have to make sure the authorities are being monitored."
Dorset Safety Camera Partnership spokesman Pat Garrett said they were unable to comment on the significance for other drivers as they were liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to investigate the possibility of an appeal.
That means the speed limit in Chideock is now 60mph - I'm just popping out for a spin...
Posted by goccibos, on 31-10-2007 16:59,
pick me up on your way through town ED! Now I can do over 40mph on my bicyle again down Chidoeck hill.
Posted by Denzlepob_at_work, on 01-11-2007 07:21,
Your car won't go over 30.
Posted by mutley, on 08-11-2007 19:43,
DCSP have told me i have to wait twenty days to find out what the CPS decide. wonder if i will get my £60 back 4mph over doh
Posted by goccibos, on 23-11-2007 11:15,
NOTE: THE SPEED LIMIT IS ONCE AGAIN ENFORCEABLE!
Posted by , on 09-12-2007 22:40,
There was a restaurant not 50 yards from the proposed site-Wills-now The Green Yard-I think.Will also suffered the same persecutionbut stuck with it and won the day.Bridport needs new venture to be not only started but supported but as previous articles have said, the town has become Geriatricville-my next project is a mobile charging station for the far too many badly aimed-you can`t call them driven-electric scooters.Wake up Bridportians,your town is dying very rapidly!!!
More than 50,000 drivers have been wrongly flashed by the speed camera in Chideock because the road used to mark out a 30mph zone doesn't exist. Every motorist who has been caught by the camera is now being urged to claim back their fines which may be worth more than three million pounds (and over 150,000 penalty points).
WATCHING THE WATCHERS
