South sees 7,000 overseas speed drivers 'not fined'

Police said overseas drivers are punished if caught at the scene

More than 7,000 drivers caught by speed cameras across southern England last year have escaped prosecution because their vehicles are registered abroad.

In the past three years, no drivers of overseas-registered cars were fined in Thames Valley, Surrey, Sussex, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Police said a database to search for foreign number plates did not exist.

The figures obtained by the BBC showed 7,060 vehicles registered overseas were caught - about 2% of all those caught.

Overseas registered drivers caught speeding in South in 2009 Hampshire & Isle of Wight- 751 Dorset - 2,087 Sussex - 1,665 Surrey - 448 Thames Valley - 2,109

But over each of the past three years, the number of vehicles found breaking speed limits has fallen.

A law change last year has now made it easier to fine any drivers who break the law who have a British address but a foreign licence.

This law change has already resulted in thousands of drivers in the South having to pay fines and have points on their licence, the authorities have said.

Dan Campsall, from Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership, said: "There just hasn't been the means to interrogate foreign databases to associate foreign vehicles with their drivers.

"In the UK, if you are caught we go to the DVLA and we can track down the driver, but that is not available abroad.

"These sort of justice issues need to be addressed.

"Since the new law was brought in there have been increased powers for police to take fines at the roadside for foreign-registered vehicles and we have done that."

Thames Valley Police said it was hopeful there would be better integration between police services across Europe in the future.

Officers believe the many language schools in Bournemouth may be one of the reasons so many foreign-registered vehicles were found to have broken speeding laws in Dorset.

Forces said any drivers of foreign-registered vehicles caught speeding at the scene by officers would have action taken against them.