NSW: Most fines are correct, but a review is needed

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NSW: Most fines are correct, but a review is needed

By Janine O'Neill

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - Speeding fines issued to motorists after detection by vehicle-mountedpolice radars were generally correct, the NSW Ombudsman has found.

However, Ombudsman Bruce Barbour recommended NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney reviewthe current arrangements for speed testing and calibration of radar instruments.

Mr Barbour's audit of 3,632 speeding tickets found only 18 tickets were definitely incorrect.

For 3,478 (95.8 per cent) of the tickets audited there was no question, on the faceof the ticket, that the motorist was speeding.

"Our review of more than 3,500 speeding fines indicates that highway patrol officersare applying reliable technology when checking motorists' speed from police cars," MrBarbour said.

The Ombudsman's report to NSW Parliament follows concerns raised last year about speedingfines issued by police cars with inaccurate speedometers.

A review completed in February last year found 66 police cars had speedometers witherrors of greater than four km an hour.

"Since 2002, NSW Police has demonstrated a genuine commitment to improve speed enforcementequipment," Mr Barbour said.

"In particular, NSW Police has advised that certified digital speedometers are nowinstalled in all highway patrol cars."

The Ombudsman recommended NSW Police also consider appropriate refunds and reinstatementof demerit points to those motorists incorrectly issued with a speeding fine.

He recommended Mr Moroney review the current testing arrangements for police radarand other equipment.

Additional guidance could also be given to highway patrol officers about discretionaryfactors in issuing fines, he said.

Mr Barbour urged NSW Police respond to the recommendations within three months.

Opposition police spokesman Peter Debnam said the review raised more questions than it answered.

"The Ombudsman said his "greatest concern" relates to the fact that sixty-six faultycars were not identified as faulty prior to the recent test program," Mr Debnam said.

"The report raises serious concerns with the government's administration of speedingfines especially in the period before 2002 and in relation to the use of Subaru policecars."

Mr Barbour said the report he began in June last year did not assess speeding finesissued by police driving Subarus as he had not yet received final reports from police.

NSW Police said the audit was conducted after fines were issued in 2001.

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KEYWORD: SPEEDING NIGHTLEAD