Motorists often wonder how speeding rules are enforced by police. Many tend to think going over the speed limit by just a small amount, like 1 or 2mph, won’t matter and the police will let you off.
However, officers at West Midlands Police have refused to confirm if that is the case. In a freedom of information request, they were asked if there is a "speed tolerance" in relation to how speed cameras are enforced across the region - "for example, 10% +2mph".
As Birmingham Live reports, in that example, it means that motorists would be let off with doing 35mph in a 30mph. It’s unlikely that this is the case.
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Police told Birmingham Live they couldn’t give any details on"tolerance" for a clear reason - they don't want drivers to know they can go faster than the legal speed limit and potentially make the roads more dangerous.
When it comes to FOI requests police forces are generally expected to comply. However, they can be refused if they think there is a reason, for example, public safety in this case.
This means drivers are left to keep guessing if they can be penalised for small speeding infringements.
Explaining its decision, West Midlands Police said: "Confirming camera thresholds would allow drivers to disregard the imposed speed limit on a road, and drive at a speed in excess of what has been considered safe, appropriate and lawful, knowing that their chance of being detected by a camera was low.
"Releasing the requested information would therefore enable drivers to break the law with impunity. This would prejudice the law enforcement role of the force in the prevention or detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders."
It added: "Our position is that drivers should never exceed the signposted speed limit. Posted speed limits are the maximum speed that road users should travel at any time, irrespective of the speed threshold that police commence enforcement action. Release of the threshold would have the effect of encouraging some drivers to exceed the posted speed limits, increasing the risk of injury or even death, not only to themselves, but to other drivers, passengers, road users and pedestrians."
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