How 1,700 foreign speeders got away

They’re let off scot-free as police fail to trace them

MORE than 1,700 foreign drivers caught speeding in Scotland – including one clocked at 124mph – have escaped prosecution because police cannot track them down.

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that safety cameras recorded the staggering number of speeding offences by foreign drivers over the past year.

But a loophole means that police are powerless to prosecute – and hundreds of thousands of pounds have been lost in unpaid fines.

In addition, no legal action, such as licence points or a ban, have been enforced.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: ‘These are serious offences and we know how tragic the consequences can be.

‘As part of our negotiations of leaving the EU, we hope that this issue is picked up and rectified.’ Last year, it was revealed that, across the UK, almost £7.3 million has been lost from foreign-registered vehicles not paying speeding fines since 2012.

In Scotland, 1,711 foreign drivers were caught speeding by Safety Camera Partnerships between August 2016 and August 2017. None of those registered speeding was ever fined or prosecuted.

The worst area was Aberdeenshire, where 346 foreign drivers were filmed breaking the speed limit.

Nearby Angus was the next worst blackspot, with 304.

Angus also had the highest recorded speed of a foreignregistered vehicle – 124mph in a 70mph limit, on the notorious A90 Aberdeen to Dundee dual carriageway. Highland was third on the list, with 161 offences.

Other danger areas were Edinburgh City, with 140, and the Scottish Borders, with 110.

The AA has warned that new European legislation, signed in May this year, is of little use to UK police forces.

It will, however, mean the DVLA will continue to hand foreign governments the details of British drivers caught speeding abroad.

Mr Cousens said: ‘The EU CrossBorder Enforcement Directive covers issues such as speeding, drink-driving, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, driving through red lights and not wearing a seat belt.

‘Quite rightly, Brits caught speeding on the Continent are fined when they reach home, but the relationship has to be reciprocal.

‘Foreign drivers should also be fined for speeding in the UK when they return home, but the directive makes it difficult to do so.

‘It places liability with the registered owner of the vehicle as opposed to the driver, which means British police forces cannot compel the vehicle owner to nominate the driver in question.’

Superintendent Louise Blakelock of Police Scotland said: ‘There is currently no legal mechanism for enforcing any speeding-related offences by drivers with a non-UK licence.’

‘The consequences can be tragic’