UK drivers face £640 speeding fines in EU

BRITISH motorists will be fined up to £640 for speeding in Europe this summer under a controversial EU law that comes into force tomorrow.

UK drivers caught by speed cameras in France, the Netherlands and at least 12 other EU countries can be traced by police from those nations for the first time.

But the system will only work one way because a quirk of the law means Europeans caught speeding in Britain cannot be hunted by UK police. The change in the rules comes as millions of British families prepare for summer holidays in the EU. Britons could previously be fined in Europe only if they were stopped by the side of the road, or were in a hired car whose owner held the driver’s details.

But EU countries will soon be able to obtain information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

The EU directive covers speeding and seven other motoring offences, including failing to stop at a red light, not wearing a seatbelt and driving while using a mobile phone. Britons who break speed limits by more than 31mph could be fined up to €750 (£640) under the rules.

The vehicle owner is liable for fines in at least 14 EU countries, but in the UK the responsibility lies with drivers rather than registered owners. This means British police will still be unable to fine drivers from the EU who commit offences here.

The Department for Transport said it would seek to revoke the powers after Britain leaves the EU in 2019.