by
Autonet Insurance
| Feb 01, 2012
It has been revealed this week that motorists could be faced with a 66% increase in motoring fines if a new proposal is agreed.
Justice Minister Ken Clarke released the proposal in Parliament which will see fines for motorists who are caught speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or failing to stop at a zebra crossing being fined £100 instead of the current £60.
Ken Clarke spoke of the new rules for motoring fines saying: “The exact amount of the increase will depend on a detailed assessment of what effect the increases would have on payment rates, and on public consultation by the Department for Transport early this year.”
The extra money that is generated from the increase of motoring fines will go towards road safety schemes and it will fill a funding gap of £50 million for Victims of Crime with £20 from the fine being put into the fund.
Included in the proposal is that anyone jailed for more than two years would have to pay a £120 surcharge and those sentenced to six months or less could be paying £80.
A surcharge is normally charged if people are fined by court, however the Justice Minister wants this to be extended to all criminals, even those who are jailed for a serious offence. Surcharges currently raises £10 million each year but the Government spend £66 million on support and services which is why extra funding is needed. The new charges are hoped to generate an extra £50 million per year.
The consultation document comments that the balance is wrong stating: 'By increasing the rate ordered on fines and extending it to the full range of sentences ordered in court, and also by using increased revenue from penalty notices for disorder and motoring fixed penalty notices (FPN), we aim to raise up to an additional £50 million each year.'
The planned increase in motoring fines is hoped that it will bring down the amount of motorists that break the law.
© Copyright Autonet Insurance
By Amanda Bainbridge