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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Foreign drivers avoid speed fines | Foreign drivers avoid speed fines |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Thousands of foreign drivers have escaped punishment in the last year despite being caught speeding, North Wales Police have revealed. | Thousands of foreign drivers have escaped punishment in the last year despite being caught speeding, North Wales Police have revealed. |
| In a reply to a Freedom of Information request, the force said 3,536 offences were recorded by cameras in the last 12 months - up 2,146 on the previous year. | In a reply to a Freedom of Information request, the force said 3,536 offences were recorded by cameras in the last 12 months - up 2,146 on the previous year. |
| They were not punished because police cannot send a notice of intended prosecution within the required time. | They were not punished because police cannot send a notice of intended prosecution within the required time. |
| North Wales Police said new laws would come into force on 1 April, 2009. | North Wales Police said new laws would come into force on 1 April, 2009. |
| Most speeding drivers caught by the force face a £60 fixed penalty and three points on their licence. | Most speeding drivers caught by the force face a £60 fixed penalty and three points on their licence. |
| However police said that if a driver is registered outside the UK, the camera offence is currently "rejected". | However police said that if a driver is registered outside the UK, the camera offence is currently "rejected". |
| Deter | |
| Chief constable Richard Brunstrom, who is "fixed penalty lead" for the Association of Chief Police Officers had called on the Department of Transport for a change in the law. | Chief constable Richard Brunstrom, who is "fixed penalty lead" for the Association of Chief Police Officers had called on the Department of Transport for a change in the law. |
| A North Wales Police spokeswoman said: "The law has been changed and will be coming into effect from 1 April, 2009." | A North Wales Police spokeswoman said: "The law has been changed and will be coming into effect from 1 April, 2009." |
| The proposals were backed by Clwyd West MP David Jones, who said there was a need to deter speeding foreign drivers who regularly use the ferry port of Holyhead. | The proposals were backed by Clwyd West MP David Jones, who said there was a need to deter speeding foreign drivers who regularly use the ferry port of Holyhead. |
| The Department of Transport said the introduction of the Local Transport Act will allow the DVLA to ask its equivalent body in foreign countries for the contact details of non-UK drivers. | |
| They said this will close the loophole which currently means foreign drivers are not sent speeding tickets when caught by UK speed cameras. |