3,000 speed cases to be quashed

The motorists were caught when this sign was changed to 30mph

Up to 3,000 motorists are to get their speeding convictions on the A5 in Bangor, Gwynedd quashed after a council failed to follow proper procedures.

The drivers were caught when a speed limit was dropped from 40mph to 30 mph near the Maes Geirchen estate on the outskirts of Bangor in July 2006.

A review of the cases found however the speed limit had not been properly put in place by the council.

Gwynedd county council said it would now "urgently" look at the situation.

The decision to drop the cases came after a review of the cases against 38 motorists, who challenged their speeding tickets.

But the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had also advised North Wales Police that the decision applies to all others convicted of speeding offences on the stretch of road since 26 July 2006.

The force puts the number at up to 3,000.

Gerallt Evans, head of the CPS's western unit, said: "Gwynedd Council had purported to extend the 30mph restricted area from a point just north of Port Penrhyn Road to a point just north of the junction with Penrhyn Road on 26 July 2006.

It makes you very cautious, looking around for speed traps instead of concentrating on driving safely Peter Douglas, motorist

"The North Wales Police commenced enforcement operations shortly thereafter in the belief that the road was subject to a 30mph limit".

After a total of 38 motorists caught speeding entered "not guilty" pleas, the CPS held a review.

The CPS then discovered that Gwynedd council "had not followed the proper procedures" for changing the speed limit - even though the 30mph signs had been put up.

Police had pointed out to the CPS only last month that the existing legal order to impose a 40 mph limit had not been revoked by the council when it changed the speed limit.

Solicitor Ray Woodward from Hill Dickinson, Chester, was representing three of the motorists caught.

"Effectively we would have taken those three cases as test cases because they were all practically the same," he said.

He was "not surprised" the cases had now been dropped, he added, and not surprised either it had taken so long given it was "embarrassing for the council and the police".

We are urgently reviewing the implications of this decision and its impact on traffic management Gwynedd council

"I am relieved these cases have been dropped because of the effect they were having on a lot of people," he added.

"Many were people who did not have points on their licence before or were not in a position to afford to pay any fines."

The incident had made him wonder how many other road orders were incorrect in the county, he added.

Motorist Peter Douglas challenged his speeding ticket because of what he said were "discrepancies" in the information he received about when and where the speeding offence had taken place.

The process of fighting the speeding ticket for the past 11 months had affected him, he added.

'Softer edged'

"It makes you very cautious, looking around for speed traps instead of concentrating on driving safely.

"I've always been a cautious driver, and do my best to keep within the law as best as I can," he added.

In a statement Gwynedd Council said it noted the decision.

"As a consequence, we are urgently reviewing the implications of this decision and its impact on traffic management in the Maes Geirchen area."

On Thursday, North Wales chief constable Richard Brunstrom said motorists in Wales were less likely to be given a fine and penalty points if caught just over the speed limit in future.

He told a safety meeting speed cameras in Wales would be run by one body, with a "softer edged" approach, to include offers of safer driving courses instead.