§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is with regard to drivers of emergency service vehicles who are captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170736]
§ Caroline FlintVehicles being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes are exempt from speed limits when observation of the limit on any specific occasion would hinder them fulfilling their purpose.
The exemption is contained in section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The exemption is not automatic. Speeding is dangerous and a driver in an emergency vehicle who exceeds the speed limit unnecessarily will be liable to a fixed penalty or prosecution.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to recompense(a) police authorities (b) fire and rescue authorities and (c) health trusts, for the annual costs of dealing with the paperwork which is triggered by their emergency vehicles captured on speed cameras contravening speed limits. [170737]
§ Caroline FlintThere are no plans to make it policy to recompense theemergency services for the costs of processing fixed penalty notices for speeding. Emergency service vehicles are already exempt from speed limits when to observe the limit on a particular228W occasion would hinder their purpose. The exemption is however not automatic. The police enforce speed limits for everyone's safety on the road and where such a vehicle exceeds the limit unnecessarily a fixed penalty may be appropriate.
We are however working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers to ensure that emergency service vehicles caught speeding by automatic camera are not followed up unnecessarily when they can rely on this exemption.