The chief executive of a speed camera firm has been banned from driving for six months after admitting speeding at more than 100mph on a 70mph road.

Tom Riall is the boss of Serco, which has provided more than 5,000 speed cameras in the UK.

Mr Riall appeared at Sudbury Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to driving at 100mph, he was fined £300, banned from driving for six months and had six points added to his licence.

Outside court, he said: “I accept the decision of the court. I recognise that speeding is not acceptable”

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “It’s unacceptable for the boss of a company that prides itself on providing “robust evidence of drivers speeding” to be caught speeding at 100mph on a dual carriageway; it’s a case of the gamekeeper becoming the poacher.”

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People considering buying a used car can avoid clones, it has been claimed. According to auto information group HPI, following a few simple rules could protect drivers from fraudsters.

Cloning occurs when a car is stolen and given an identity that is very similar to one already in circulation. In order to avoid falling foul of this scam, car buyers have been advised to check that all vehicle identity numbers on the model tally.

People should then get HPI to verify the IDs match the registration, the group stated. This service comes with a guarantee that means customers will be reimbursed up to £30,000 if the car in question is not as it should be.

Director Nick Lindsay stated: “By educating consumers to conduct a vehicle history check and proceed with caution, we can help them uncover a fake and walk away.”

As many as 50% of motorists believe that they would find it difficult to pass their driving test if they had to take it again under today’s modern standards. Research has found that drivers take just a year to forget the key points from the practical and theory parts of the test.

Basic manoeuvres is the first skill to go, while 17% of people forget what they learnt about the Highway Code. People who passed the test between 16 and 25 years ago were most pessimistic about their chances of passing now, with even more (56%) saying they would fail than those who passed 26-50 years ago (55%).

The poll of 2,000 people also showed that nearly one in six motorists has taken a break from driving for more than three years. Moving to an area with good public transport was the main reason to quit driving, followed by a lack of enjoyment of driving and letting a partner take the wheel.

Britannia Driving School offer a range of refresher courses should you not feel confident in your current driving skills, give us a call today on 0800 252 692 to see how we can help you.

After all owners parked bumper to bumper in order to break the world record for the most Minis to be parked together, enthusiasts then drove from London to Brighton.

The popular annual drive which is now in its 46th year of operation, is home to owners of the classic and modern Minis come together to show off their vehicles.

A spokesperson for the event said: “London to Brighton Mini Run is the biggest and best Mini event in the show calendar. “Taking place each May it attracts enthusiasts from all over the world, and it is a fantastic opportunity for owners to show off their pride and joy, and the public to take in the spectacle of around 2,500 Minis as they make the 55 mile pilgrimage.”

Drivers caught jumping red traffic lights in London are being sent on courses run by the London Safety Camera Partnership.

Attending the course allows them to avoid paying a £60 fine and getting three points on their licence.

More than 350 people have already been on the course during a trial period. Officials estimate that within its first year, about 1, 200 will choose to pay the £95 fee and attend lessons in Islington, Bromley or Ealing.

If successful, the scheme will go nationwide. New figures show that each week, two people are killed or seriously injured on London’s roads after motorist run traffic lights.

The red-light courses will be offered to drivers at the discretion of the police, depending on the margin by which they overshot the lights.

More serious offenders will not be offered a place and drivers can only attend once in three years.

There are 242 red light cameras in London. Their installation has led to a 53 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured at their location.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “London roads are getting safer, but the 129 deaths and serious injuries in 2006 caused by red – light jumping demonstrate there is much more to be done.”

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The blitz from cameras, police patrols and parking wardens is netting the state £100million a year in fines.
Recorded offences now top more than 2.39million a year, according to latest figures released following a Freedom of Information request.

They also include illegal parking, jumping traffic lights and not wearing a seatbelt.

Twice as many drivers — 1½million — are fined for speeding as ten years ago, with London’s Met force issuing most tickets.

Latest CCTV cars intended to catch drivers using their mobiles or being distracted at the steering wheel are being piloted by Greater Manchester Police.

The Smart cars, which have a 12ft mast with a camera attached, are parked at busy junctions to monitor traffic.

Anyone seen driving while distracted – eating at the steering wheel, playing with the radio or applying make – up for instance – is filmed by the cameras. A letter is then sent to the owner of the car along with a fine.

Anyone caught using their mobile phone will be ordered to pay £60 and have three points added to their licence.

The CCTV cars have already attracted criticism from people who argue they are an infringement of people’s privacy.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “CCTV enforcement lacks connection with motorist until after the event and drivers might regard it as an infringement of their privacy.”

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Holidaymakers driving to the Continent will soon be up against line after line of digital variable speed cameras. Millions of Brits hoping to cross the Channel on a ferry or via the tunnel will be confronted by the cameras on 19 fixed gantries above a six-mile stretch of the M20 in Kent and part of the M25.

The Highways Agency said the cameras – enforcing variable limits displayed on electronic boards above the motorway lanes – would reduce congestion, give more reliable journey times, reduce accidents, curb driver stress and reduce emissions.
But motoring groups are concerned it will be yet another moneymaking venture by the authorities and that it the first step on the rollout of fixed overhead speed cameras across many UK motorways.

Only British drivers caught speeding by the overhead cameras are certain to face action. Foreign drivers are unlikely to be pursued.This is a contrast to France where the police routinely pull in British drivers and impose on-the- spot fines and impound their cars if they are not paid immediately.

Drivers should face fewer red traffic lights following the relaxation of government guidance on the flow of traffic.

Councils can adopt so-called “green wave” systems of sensors, where vehicles at or just below the speed limit trigger a succession of green lights.

Environmental groups say carbon emissions will be reduced as a result of the “Green Wave.”

Environment pressure group Campaign for Better Transport said the schemes would make car driving more efficient, but claimed they would not get to the heart of the problem.

“They are fantastic so far as making the best available use of space and allowing drivers to drive in a smooth and therefore more efficient manner”, said campaigner Richard George.

“But they don’t tackle congestion in the long term because they don’t give people alternatives to driving.”

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “Green Wave is an excellent government initiative that will actually help motorists as they go about their business as well as reduce carbon emissions.”

What are your thoughts on the Green Wave traffic lights? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Almost 90% of motorists are fed up with the condition of their local roads, according to a new RAC poll. With only 5% who reckon that motoring taxes are appropriately used, the survey of nearly 2,700 RAC members found.

Just 21% said road pricing was a good way of dealing with congestion, but 77% said jams would ease if public transport was improved, and there was good support for plans to allow drivers to use the hard shoulder of motorways during peak times.

The survey found that 89% were frustrated at the state of local roads, with just 2% reckoning that roads in their area were adequately maintained, In contrast, 65% of 18-to-35-year-olds polled were satisfied with the standard of motorway and dual-carriageway routes, although satisfaction levels dropped to only 33% for those aged over 65.

A total of 89% said they wanted better clarity on where motoring taxes were spent, while most said that not enough money raised was going back into the roads, Using hard shoulders was particularly popular with 18-to-25-year-olds, with 84% supporting the plan.
A total of 77% reckoned that improving bus, tram and train services would help tackle congestion.