It's not fine

[Bper]

New cameras to catch law-breaking drivers on Norfolk roads

Norfolk County Council hopes the devices will bring in hundreds of thousands of pounds in fines to help plug its £46.2m budget gap.

But motoring groups have criticised the plans, saying they may put the Conservative-led authority on a "collision course" with the government.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said recently that he was "slamming the brakes on the war on motorists", amid concerns that local authorities were using traffic infractions as a way to raise revenues.

County Hall intends to install the cameras within weeks to detect drivers committing 'moving traffic offences', such as ignoring bans on turns, going into bus lanes and down pedestrianised streets.

Until now, Norfolk motorists committing such offences could only be caught by police officers.

But the government had announced councils would be given powers to issue £70 penalty notices to drivers it caught and County Hall secured permission to do so.

The county council, facing a huge budget gap, hopes to start installing cameras in six streets from November to snare law-breaking motorists.

Council papers state that would bring in £250,000 in fines between 2024 and 2027.

The first cameras would be in Norwich and Great Yarmouth and the council has said cameras could be used in other locations in future years.

They tell us that motoring fines are not about raising revenue...

 

 

 

[Cyker]

It does feel like motorists are being used as a source of free money for them doesn't it?

And when they feel they aren't getting enough money out of us, they change the rules until they do!

The most irritating thing is we don't even get anything out of it - They get so much money from motoring related taxes and fines, but where does it go?! Roads are in as bad condition as I remember, signs are increasingly discoloured, covered with corrosion, algae, or foliage, road markings are worn to the point of non-existence in many places, I'm even noticing an increase in the number of failed traffic lights lately!

But yet they have money to put up new signs and planters for LTNs, install unnecessary speed humps, and always more cameras...

[Eddie G]

6 hours ago, Bper said:

New cameras to catch law-breaking drivers on Norfolk roads

Norfolk County Council hopes the devices will bring in hundreds of thousands of pounds in fines to help plug its £46.2m budget gap.

But motoring groups have criticised the plans, saying they may put the Conservative-led authority on a "collision course" with the government.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said recently that he was "slamming the brakes on the war on motorists", amid concerns that local authorities were using traffic infractions as a way to raise revenues.

County Hall intends to install the cameras within weeks to detect drivers committing 'moving traffic offences', such as ignoring bans on turns, going into bus lanes and down pedestrianised streets.

Until now, Norfolk motorists committing such offences could only be caught by police officers.

But the government had announced councils would be given powers to issue £70 penalty notices to drivers it caught and County Hall secured permission to do so.

The county council, facing a huge budget gap, hopes to start installing cameras in six streets from November to snare law-breaking motorists.

Council papers state that would bring in £250,000 in fines between 2024 and 2027.

The first cameras would be in Norwich and Great Yarmouth and the council has said cameras could be used in other locations in future years.

They tell us that motoring fines are not about raising revenue...

 

 

 

Sounds all about the money, especially when they made sure at the end to say it is not about that, like MPs saying 'Well the truth is' it stinks of easy money to be made.

[Eddie G]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

It does feel like motorists are being used as a source of free money for them doesn't it?

And when they feel they aren't getting enough money out of us, they change the rules until they do!

The most irritating thing is we don't even get anything out of it - They get so much money from motoring related taxes and fines, but where does it go?! Roads are in as bad condition as I remember, signs are increasingly discoloured, covered with corrosion, algae, or foliage, road markings are worn to the point of non-existence in many places, I'm even noticing an increase in the number of failed traffic lights lately!

But yet they have money to put up new signs and planters for LTNs, install unnecessary speed humps, and always more cameras...

Am beginning to wonder if the Poilce have all turned into to speed cameras lol as the last time seeing any Poilce walking around in public was years ago......

[Haliotis]

There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, if all motorists obeyed the law, then the cameras would earn nothing and be a waste of public money.  On the other hand, there are far more serious offences that the police need to address, rather than chasing errant motorists - although errant motorists can be a threat to the welfare of other road users.

We all enjoy IT in our cars, in our homes and in the workplace.  It naturally follows that IT will be used to catch motorists breaking the law - as it does for burglar alarms, car alarms, etc.

I believe, if we are honest, the average motorist learns by experience that there are drivers on our roads who we would rather see taken off them.  How many of us have been involved in a collision caused by an idiot?  There is no valid argument for any driving offence to be excused, so why grumble about these cameras?  Avoiding being caught is entirely in our own hands.

[Mjolinor]

39 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, if all motorists obeyed the law, then the cameras would earn nothing and be a waste of public money.  On the other hand, there are far more serious offences that the police need to address, rather than chasing errant motorists - although errant motorists can be a threat to the welfare of other road users.

We all enjoy IT in our cars, in our homes and in the workplace.  It naturally follows that IT will be used to catch motorists breaking the law - as it does for burglar alarms, car alarms, etc.

I believe, if we are honest, the average motorist learns by experience that there are drivers on our roads who we would rather see taken off them.  How many of us have been involved in a collision caused by an idiot?  There is no valid argument for any driving offence to be excused, so why grumble about these cameras?  Avoiding being caught is entirely in our own hands.

Not so. I was done for speeding. I proved that my car would not do that speed in that location with a pile of maths. I also proved that the sun was behind my car which is specifically forbidden in the speed camera instruction manual and was still guilty because he was a policeman and I wasn't.

On another occasion when pleading not guilty to not wearing a seat belt they even asked me if I took a copy of the road traffic act with me so that they could check it to see if one can drive legally without the seat belt when going backwards. They did not like it when I told them that as they were implementing it then they should probably have one there.

It is purely and simply fund raising. Absolutely nothing to do with road safety or risk limitations. If it were for safety reasons then how is it they prosecute you for warning people that there is a speed camera. Telling people makes everyone slow down where prosecuting people only slows down the guy that gets done.

Don't wind me up with this, I hate the little ***************** moronic thick Tw****.

[Bper]

32 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, if all motorists obeyed the law, then the cameras would earn nothing and be a waste of public money.  On the other hand, there are far more serious offences that the police need to address, rather than chasing errant motorists - although errant motorists can be a threat to the welfare of other road users.

We all enjoy IT in our cars, in our homes and in the workplace.  It naturally follows that IT will be used to catch motorists breaking the law - as it does for burglar alarms, car alarms, etc.

I believe, if we are honest, the average motorist learns by experience that there are drivers on our roads who we would rather see taken off them.  How many of us have been involved in a collision caused by an idiot?  There is no valid argument for any driving offence to be excused, so why grumble about these cameras?  Avoiding being caught is entirely in our own hands.

Hi Albert, I agee with driving offences but the concern from the article for many is ignoring bans on turns, going into bus lanes and down pedestrianised streets. 

For some time drivers have been fined for accidentally moving into bus lanes when moving over to allow emergency vehicles through. Doing the right thing but punished. 

Another issue as an example is making it more difficult with no left or right turns, blocking off streets with no apparent reason and forcing drivers on detours way out of where they need to drive. More double yellows, increase parking charges etc etc. These measures are all leading to increased fines and frustrating drivers who are making mistakes. 

The fact that councils as being given permission to fine motorists directly will lead to more restrictions when they see how much money they are receiving. This money is plugging holes in budgets and is an easy way to stop public outcry of raising the council taxes to unacceptable levels.

[Haliotis]

I agree that many authorities are amending road layouts in a way that do seem to be aimed at making it difficult for motorists.  But it must be accepted that disobedience of traffic law only gives authorities an excuse to impose further restrictions on drivers.

For drivers, the greatest argument that authority is being unacceptably biased is the absence of incidents which give authority credence - and that argument is down to us drivers. Every act of recorded disobedience is ammunition for authority.

[Bper]

On 10/17/2023 at 7:27 PM, Haliotis said:

I agree that many authorities are amending road layouts in a way that do seem to be aimed at making it difficult for motorists.  But it must be accepted that disobedience of traffic law only gives authorities an excuse to impose further restrictions on drivers.

For drivers, the greatest argument that authority is being unacceptably biased is the absence of incidents which give authority credence - and that argument is down to us drivers. Every act of recorded disobedience is ammunition for authority.

I think Mjolinor post above tells why so many people are fed up with restrictions, more camera's and the unfairness of it all.