A65 YEADON - 15 YEARS OF UNLAWFUL ENFORCEMENT
Speeding Fines to be Cancelled in Leeds
PART of a busy Leeds road has had no legal speed limit for the past 15 years, because of a "clerical error".
A speed limit order must be in place for speed limit road signs to be enforceable but no such order was made for a stretch of the A65 in Yeadon.
As soon as the bungle was discovered West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership said it contacted the 130 drivers caught driving at over 40mph by its cameras, since they became responsible for speed enforcement in 2004.
But legal eagles reckon hundreds more could have been nabbed by police in the 11 previous years and could stand to win substantial payouts.
Andrew Thompson, of Andrew Thompson & Co Solicitors, Leeds, said: "Given the len
gth of time that there's been no traffic regulation order that means there's been no speed limit on that stretch of road for many years.
"I think it could affect hundreds of people."
Philip Gwynne, spokesman for the partnership, said it wasn't their mistake but all enforcement stopped immediately when it was revealed about a month ago.
He said: "We also immediately started the process of contacting all the motorists caught by camera during this period to say the speed limit was not technically enforceable."
They will get the three points taken off their licences and £60 fines refunded.
But Leeds man Ian Roberts lost his driving licence when the wrongly-imposed three points took him to 12.
He lost his job and his house as a result and plans to sue those responsible for the error - thought to be Leeds City Council.
The speed limit order is now in place.
UPDATED STORY - THE PARTNERSHIP KNEW OF THE DEFECT BUT ENFORCEMENT CONTINUED
Red faces for Leeds council and camera chiefs
By Debbie Leigh - Yorkshire Evening Post
Council and speed camera bosses have both been left red-faced by a blunder that meant 130 drivers in Leeds were wrongly fined.
First Leeds City Council failed to put a 40mph speed limit order in place that meant a stretch of the A65 in Yeadon has had no official speed limit for more than 15 years.
The 130 drivers caught in the last four years were fined £60 and given three licence points.
A spokesman for the council said: "After checking our records in March 2005, we discovered there was not a speed limit order for 40mph in place for this stretch of road. We have now approved the order and that will be commencing in the very near future."
Steve Thornton, chairman of the partnership, said top officials had only been told of the problem at the end of last year and enforcement on the route had immediately stopped.
He said a working group had been informed by the council several years
ago, but for some reason hadn't passed the information on to those responsible for policy decisions and enforcement He added: "I can't explain why it didn't."
Mr Thornton said inquiries would continue into how such an error had occurred, saying: "If there was any wrongdoing, certainly disciplinary action would be taken."
The 130 motorists caught on cameras will get the points taken off their licences and a £60 refund.
In the years before the partnership took over speed cameras, the police were responsible. Lawyers reckon hundreds more motorists could have been punished and could win substantial payouts.
Andrew Thompson, of Andrew Thompson & Co Solicitors, Leeds, said: "I think it could affect hundreds of people."
Leeds man Ian Roberts lost his driving licence when the three points took him up to 12. He lost his job and his house. He plans to sue over the error.
