Speeding Penalty

AdrianC

melsey said:

OK so if there is street lights thats the giveaway it is a 30 speed limit, regardless if the sign has been removed.

Correct.
Streetlights with no repeater signage = 30

I appreciate your comments, its just frustrating to have done this drive for many years well aware of the speed limits and then this change to happen.

I would not of exceeded the speed limit if I was aware of the change.

But all the information you needed to know the limit was present.
All you needed to do was look at your surroundings, instead of going off what you remembered.
If you aren't looking at signage, what are you looking at?

But you are advising me that its best to take the speed awareness course if applicable because I wouldnt get anywhere disputing it?

Correct.
"I've forgotten how to use road signage" is not a get-out. It's an indication that you would benefit from going on an awareness course.

And to be more mindful if the street light are there its classed as urban which is 30.

Streetlights without repeaters, yes.

Again thats another part that has frustrated me, the area to my knowledge hasnt changed so there may well have been Street lights when the 40 sign was up.

And there would have been regular repeater 40 signage... Which overrides the default.

The same applies with no streetlights - default NSL (60 s/c, 70 d/c), unless overridden by repeaters. But you knew that, right...?

facade

Same thing happened to me.

I've driven this particular stretch of road for many many years, and it had always been a 40.

Then one day the 40 repeaters disappeared. To be fair, I'd changed my route home, so there could well have been "new speed limit applies" signs up for a while. Then due to roadworks I went along that road again- at 40.

Anyway, when you already know what the limit is, and have known for many years, it is difficult to see something that isn't there any more, it isn't like I didn't see a sign, I didn't realise that I'd not seen it.

When you are somewhere unfamiliar, you are looking out for limit signs, or streetlights, but not when you already know the limit, which has been in place for 20 odd years at least.

My advice here is to assume that your Council have sneakily reduced the speed limits on all their roads to 30 at least, if not 20 whilst you were at work or asleep, and consciously check every limit every single time you drive along a road.

Car_54

melsey said:

But you are advising me that its best to take the speed awareness course if applicable because I wouldnt get anywhere disputing it?

The only way you can "dispute" it is to to decline any offer of a course or fixed penalty, and to plead not guilty when you're eventually taken to court.

Nothing you have said suggests a viable defence, so you will likely be found guilty. Three points, Income-related fine, victim surcharge and prosecution costs (guideline £620). Plus a day of your valuable time. Your choice.

caprikid1

"But you are advising me that its best to take the speed awareness course if applicable because I wouldnt get anywhere disputing it?
Sounds like the speed awareness course would be beneficial as it might help you avoid one in the future, IE they spent time looking at al types of road and what the limit is in the absence of signage.

Biggus_Dickus

If the authorities have deemed it necessary to reduce a longstanding 40 zone to a 30 zone one would assume they had good reason.

Perhaps?? a “New speed limit 30” sign to replace the first of the original 40 signs would have been in order;...that would have served to bolster their intention to make that section of road ‘safer’ which I assume (perhaps wrongly) is the motivation behind the recent speed reduction.

giraffe69

If the authorities have deemed it necessary to reduce a longstanding 40 zone to a 30 zone one would assume they had good reason.
I don't think I would assume it was for "good" reason. Some councils simply like possible revenue increase, subscribe to the idea that all speed even when appropriate for the road conditions should be reduced. If pressed they will talk about reduced energy consumption and/or improved safety. We will be back to teh red g=flag carried in front of the car in the not too distant future! 😁

Car_54

giraffe69 said:

If the authorities have deemed it necessary to reduce a longstanding 40 zone to a 30 zone one would assume they had good reason.
I don't think I would assume it was for "good" reason. Some councils simply like possible revenue increase, subscribe to the idea that all speed even when appropriate for the road conditions should be reduced. If pressed they will talk about reduced energy consumption and/or improved safety. We will be back to teh red g=flag carried in front of the car in the not too distant future! 😁

How does that work? Councils don't get the money from fines or fixed penalties.

Herzlos

melsey said:

But you are advising me that its best to take the speed awareness course if applicable because I wouldnt get anywhere disputing it?

And to be more mindful if the street light are there its classed as urban which is 30.

Again thats another part that has frustrated me, the area to my knowledge hasnt changed so there may well have been Street lights when the 40 sign was up.

Yes. You might learn stuff from the speed awareness course, such as how to avoid being caught out again.
It's a relatively absolute offense and not noticing the 40 signs were all removed isn't likely to be sufficient to get away with it so not worth the risk of taking it to court where you'd need to take the day off anyway and get landed with a much larger fine.
I *think* there should have been a sign up somewhere telling you about the change, but I don't know if that just applies to road layout. We're meant to be seeing a limit change here next month so I guess we'll find out.