CLEVELAND’S A66 DEJA VU
23rd April 2009 - Middlesbrough Gazette reports that:
DJ WALKER throws out 11 speeding cases as ‘no reasonable jury could possibly bring a conviction’ and reportedly informed the CPS the Crown’s case was in ‘total disarray’.
In a case of deja vu for the Cleveland Camera Partnership, once again terminal signing was found to be missing and drivers travelling at the correct speed were prosecuted for exceeding an invisible temporary restriction.
Adding woe to the prosecution case is the fact that a key prosecution witness failed to turn up and crucial documents were missing from the Crown’s bundle.
RMBCONSULTING confirms that having spoken to the Middlesbrough Gazette it was confirmed that reporters had visited the road and it was noted there was an absence of terminal signing just as the drivers stated.
One asks what now will be done for the many hundreds of motorists served with FPN’s for a non-existent offence in an unenforceable speed restriction?
Whilst the Police blame the highway authority it is difficult to excuse this oversight when, since the inception of camera enforcement, Partnerships have been charged with ensuring all signing is present and fully compliant with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions.
