Speed camera fines ‘illegal’

A LAWYERS’ CLUB IS CONTESTING THE FINES SENT OUT FROM THE FIRST “AVERAGE-SPEED” CAMERA, IN THE EAST A LEGAL loophole means that the first fines sent out by an average-speed camera in France

are illegal, it is being claimed. A driver’s club for lawyers, ACDA, says that official technical approval for the first such camera – installed near Besançon – was not published in Le

Journal Officiel, a step which is usually the final rubber-stamp for new laws and regulations. The claim has however been denied by la Sécurité Routière (the road safety authority). The

first of a batch of “average-speed” cameras being installed in selected locations this year has been producing fines since August 24, in the Doubs on the RN57. Called radars-tronçon in

French, they measure speed over a stretch several kilometres long. The lawyers say there has been no publication in the J.O. approving them, which they claim is required. ACDA president Rémy

Josseaume said publication is stipulated in a 2001 decree about measuring instruments: “Without this it is not possible to act legally against motorists.” The association plans to go to

court to contest the fines. The road safety authority said however that J.O. publication was not needed to legalise use of the cameras. Cameras were, instead, validated through a certificate

from the National Laboratory of Metrology [measurement science] and Tests, which published its approval on its site. Photo: Urbanhearts www.fotolia.com