Speeding Fine - car noted as goods vehicle?

Grumpy_chap

Did the FPN arrive with photos of the offence, or are photos available?  Do they clearly show your car, or a Transit with a smudged number plate that may have been mis-read by the camera?
As others have said, the amount by which you were over the speed limit is greater for a goods vehicle:
https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits
You may find the Peepipoo website useful for advice on how tp respond if the FPN is erroneous and that has a material impact on the outcome, yet you are otherwise accepting that the speed limit was exceeded.

Segandy

Grumpy_chap said:

Did the FPN arrive with photos of the offence, or are photos available?  Do they clearly show your car, or a Transit with a smudged number plate that may have been mis-read by the camera?
As others have said, the amount by which you were over the speed limit is greater for a goods vehicle:
https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits
You may find the Peepipoo website useful for advice on how tp respond if the FPN is erroneous and that has a material impact on the outcome, yet you are otherwise accepting that the speed limit was exceeded.

It’s just a request for driver details at the moment. I might ask for photos but to be honest, I knew I was speeding when I went past the van so it’s a fair cop. 

Was just worried about the impact ‘good vehicle’ might have

Were_Doomed

Does the time of the capture match the time you went past?

PS - if the vehicle was clocked at 81 then the speedo will likely have been showing at least 88

Herzlos

You're entitled to ask for the photos to help identify.
What's the class of vehicle on the V5? I'm assuming they look up the class of vehicle from the plate rather than making a guess based on the shape.

Grumpy_chap

If all you have at the moment is the request for driver details, respond to confirm the driver details (i.e. you).  Add a covering note to explain that the FPN describes a goods vehicle and your vehicle is a car.

Just a random thought, have you checked your V5 that it has your car correctly listed for the taxation class?  Also, in the olden days of the tax disc, cars were in the taxation class PLG (Private/Light Goods).  Is it possible that the description on the FPN is "goods vehicle" in this context?

TooManyPoints

Did the FPN arrive with photos of the offence, or are photos available?

You don't get a Fixed Penalty Notice for a speeding allegation. The Registered Keeper firstly gets a Notice of Intended Prosecution (a "NIP") together with a request for the driver's details (known as a "Section 172 request" after the section of the Road Traffic Act which provides for its issue). When the police have established who the driver was (by way of that S172 request and subsequent ones if necessary) and they decide to offer a Fixed Penalty, the driver receives a "Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty". This is totally different in substance to a Fixed Penalty Notice.

 You're entitled to ask for the photos to help identify.

He's certainly entitled to ask. But he has no right to see them (although most forces usually oblige). Identifying the driver is the responsibility of "The person Keeping the Vehicle" (who may or may not be the Registered Keeper). The police have no obligation to assist him in that task.

Segandy

Herzlos said:

You're entitled to ask for the photos to help identify.
What's the class of vehicle on the V5? I'm assuming they look up the class of vehicle from the plate rather than making a guess based on the shape.

That’s interesting. I don’t have the V5 as it’s a lease car. I’ll have to contact the lease company 

TooManyPoints

I don’t have the V5 as it’s a lease car. I’ll have to contact the lease company 

You don't need to worry about that unless the police treat the offence as if your vehicle was subject to the lower speed limit. That limit applies to goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes laden weight. A Kia Sportage is not a goods vehicle. You should be offered a course (unless the offence was in Scotland or you have done one in the last three years). If you are not, then is the time to make enquiries.

williamgriffin

TooManyPoints said:

I don’t have the V5 as it’s a lease car. I’ll have to contact the lease company 

You don't need to worry about that unless the police treat the offence as if your vehicle was subject to the lower speed limit. That limit applies to goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes laden weight. A Kia Sportage is not a goods vehicle. You should be offered a course (unless the offence was in Scotland or you have done one in the last three years). If you are not, then is the time to make enquiries.

The lower speed limit applies to all goods vehicles over two tonnes. 

TooManyPoints

The lower speed limit applies to all goods vehicles over two tonnes. 

Indeed it does (leaving aside the exception for dual-purpose vehicles weighing up to 2,040kg). But a Kia Sportage is not a goods vehicle.