2 Legal Speed Camera Van Loopholes in the UK

Have you been caught speeding by a mobile speed camera van? You’re not alone. Each month, our site is visited by over 32,000 people who are worried about tickets and fines, just like you.

We’re here to clear up the confusion. In this helpful guide, you’ll learn about:

•  The ins and outs of a mobile speed camera van
•  The ways you might be able to avoid paying a speeding fine
•  The important details about Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs)
•  How far a speed camera van can see
•  How to appeal if you think your ticket isn’t fair

We know how worrying it is to get a speeding ticket. Paying a fine can be hard, and it’s normal to feel unsure about what to do next.

We’re here to help you understand your options and decide what steps to take. Let’s get started!

What happens if a speed camera van catches you?

When a speed camera van catches a driver speeding, the camera records the vehicle registration plate number.

The police then find out who is the registered keeper of the vehicle by contacting the DVLA. This is why it’s important to have your contact information updated with the DVLA – and it’s worth checking. 

Once the police have identified the vehicle owner and their home address, they will send a letter called a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP). 

Can you appeal a speeding ticket?

There isn’t a formal way to appeal a speeding ticket. You can only reject a Fixed Penalty Notice if offered one and try to win your case in the court hearing. 

It’s notably difficult to prove you weren’t speeding in court when the police have evidence against you. It’s much more difficult than appealing parking tickets. 

But there may be some legal loopholes to get you out of a camera van speeding ticket…

The legal speed camera van loopholes you need to know!

I want to share two completely legal ways you could avoid your speed camera van ticket or reduce the repercussions of it. I call these the NIP loophole and the course loophole, and the details are below. 

#1: The NIP loophole

Most of the time, officers manning speed camera vans don’t follow the speeding vehicle and pull them over unless they are speeding significantly. They often just record the incident and remain in a position to deter more motorists from speeding and catch those that do. 

This means a Notice of Intended Prosecution will rarely be given verbally at the side of the road. Instead, the vehicle owner is more likely to receive the NIP in the post.

But there is a legal requirement that the police send the Notice of Intended Prosecution to the vehicle keeper within 14 days. The police aren’t able to convict anybody of a motoring offence when the NIP arrives later than 14 days after the incident, even if the motorist is in fact guilty. 

It’s uncommon for them to miss the deadline, but there are occasions when they do:

Source: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2768692/speed-camera-fine-14-day-rule 

So there is a legal loophole you might be able to use to avoid speed camera van fines. There are even media reports that David Beckham’s lawyers used this loophole to get him out of a speeding ticket in 2018 when he was driving almost 20mph above the speed limit. 

#2: The course loophole

The other legal loophole is to do with speed awareness courses. Motorists who get caught speeding within a certain threshold and without a recent history of speeding will be invited to take a speed awareness course. 

The speed awareness course doesn’t stop you from paying the speeding fine, but it will prevent you from having three penalty points on your licence. This can be beneficial because penalty points can increase insurance premiums. So taking the course when offered

Is it illegal to obstruct a speed camera van?

Yes, it’s illegal for a member of the general public to obstruct the view from a mobile speed camera van, such as parking in such a way that the officer cannot do their job. 

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Are speed camera vans allowed to hide?

There are currently no laws to state that a mobile speed camera van has to make itself visible. The police officer can choose to make his or her van as visible or as hidden as possible. 

However, many mobile speed camera vans aren’t that well hidden. This is because speed camera vans themselves act as a speeding deterrent and can help motorists avoid accidents that would otherwise be caused by speeding. 

How far can a speed camera van pick you up from?

Speed cameras will pick up your speed up to one mile away, so slowing down right before the van may not be good enough to avoid a speeding fine. 

It’s also important to understand that a mobile speed van can track the speeds of vehicles in both directions. Just because the van might be parked on the opposite side of the road doesn’t mean you cannot be caught speeding while travelling on the road in the other direction. 

What is the speed tolerance of a police camera van?

It’s best to assume that police officers won’t provide any tolerance for speeding, which also ensures your and other drivers’ safety. 

There are rumours of a 10% + 2mph threshold whereby you won’t get a speeding ticket if you only exceed the speed limit by 10% and then two more miles per hour. This was once guidelines given to officers, but it’s not the law. 

You can be issued a speeding ticket for driving over the limit by any amount.

Other ways to escape a speeding fine?

For more ways to get out of a speeding fine in the UK, I recommend heading to my main page on escaping speeding tickets.