Biker Puts Brake on Speed Cameras

Daily Mail, Tuesday, January 3, 2006
By Gordon Rayner

Thousands of motorcyclists could benefit from a court case to expose yet another flaw in speed cameras.

A biker is contesting his speeding ticket after finding out that the cameras have never been tested on two-wheeled vehicles.

If he is successful, it could open the way for motorcyclists who have been clocked by the roadside Gatso devices to try to overturn their convictions.

John Gowers, 55, is alleged to have done 38mph in a 30mph zone. But he decided to take a stand after reading an article in a motorcycling magazine which reported that Gatsos had not been tested on motorbikes.

He appeared before magistrates in November, but the JPs agreed to adjourn his case until tomorrow after he questioned the reliability of the cameras.

His challenge comes after the Daily Mail last week revealed how another motorcyclist, Bryn Carlyon of South Wales, proved that a Gatso had ‘clocked' him at 46mph when he was actually doing about 18mph. Experts said the camera's radar signal must have bounced off a passing bus.

Yesterday, Mr Gowers said: “I want to see this through because I feel it's important for every motorcyclist. If these things aren't tested on motorbikes then even if we see them and keep to the limits we could still get prosecuted.”

The garage owner, of Tardebigge, Worcestershire, was riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 on a suburban road in May. A letter told him he would be fined £60 and receive three penalty points.

But he was convinced he had not been speeding and pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Worcester magistrates. He said: “I showed my solicitor the article about the cameras not being tested on bikes. He advised me that the evidence may be unreliable, so it was up to them to prove I was guilty.”

When the case is heard tomorrow, the prosecution will have to provide the photographs taken by the camera. These should prove whether he was speeding.

Yesterday, the Home Office confirmed that Gatsos, which account for about 85 per cent of the 6000 fixed cameras on UK roads, had not been tested on motorbikes. A spokesman said, however, “There is nothing unique about motorcycles which would require equipment to undergo additional testing for accuracy on them.”

But Kevin Delaney, head of traffic and road safety at the RAC Foundation, said: “For cameras not to have been tested on motorbikes is just plain negligent, and it casts yet more doubt on their overall reliability. If the Home Office can't be bothered to test these cameras on every type of vehicle, then motorists have a right to ask why they are being used at all.”

Serco, the firm which imports the Dutch-made cameras, admitted that they could sometimes give false readings.

It said their photographs should be checked, but motoring groups claim speed camera partnerships do not bother.