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Here are some of the messages I've received about the Speed on green at Holes
Bay. If you would like to add your comments, please email (link above)
These are a sample of comments received 20th July - 24th Sept 2010:
I have been driving for 27 yrs with a clean license....got caught at Holes bay
Rd....if they are catching so many speeders then
they need to rethink how they control the masses ....they should simply install
speed activated traffic lights that turn red if you speed. This is a tried and
tested method adopted in Europe. They now have ample amounts of money to
implement this.
regards £60 lighter.
I am a retired Fire-fighter and in my time spent
serving the community have seen and attended many fatalities from Road Traffic
Accidents, so I am fully qualified to comment on the appropriate positioning of
a so called "Safety Camera". Travelling down the Holes Bay Relief Road recently
my vehicle was photographed travelling over the "so called acceptable" speed
limit through a green light. I have now been driving for 25 years without
causing an accident or an injury to any third party. I drive with due care and
attention and drive at safe speeds wherever I go for prevailing road conditions.
Whilst serving for Dorset Fire Service I was an EFAD (Emergency Fire Advanced
Driver) qualified to drive fire engines so I am aware of the potential risks
with respect to driving at speed. In my 25 years of driving I have not ever been
caught by a speed camera so I was extremely disappointed to be snapped by what
can only be described as a money making camera for the authority. I am disgusted
that a camera can be positioned in such an inappropriate position and catch
everyday people going about their everyday business. We aren't talking about
inexperienced speeding drivers here, not drunk drivers, not drivers under the
influence of drugs, just normal people that get up everyday go to work and pay
their taxes !
Being a relatively infrequent visitor to my parents in Poole, I was shocked and
surprised to receive a speeding fine for travelling at 41mph through the Holes
Bay Road/Sterte Road junction. I have been driving for 40 years and I have never
seen a more ill-conceived speed restriction in my life.
I have just come across your web site having received in the post this morning a
Notice of Intended Prosecution for passing through the
Holes Bay Rd / Sterte Road (speed on green) camera at 43mph. I am
hugely, hugely annoyed at this legalised form of injustice sponsored by Dorset
Police. I have possessed a clean driving licence for over eighteen years and
have been totally accident free for over twenty five years. Having only googled this subject for no
more than half an hour this evening I cannot believe that this speed on green
camera will be allowed to continue for much longer. Its sole function is as a
cash cow preying on the innocent and uniformed - pure and simple.
Visiting Poole for the first time 20th August 2010, It was a
shock when a week later back in Staffordshire I received a speeding ticket (40
mph), I had to look up on the search engines how I had managed to get this, as I
have never even had a parking ticket in over 30 years of driving never mind a
speeding ticket, having seen how much debate this site has generated, I like so
many others feel very angry, that it is a money maker. I had no idea that the
speed limit had dropped to 30 so quickly, I totally support all the efforts to
get this changed. like many visitors to Poole caught out by this camera we wont
be back in a hurry to spend our leisure pounds, how much is that costing the
local economy? good luck with the campaign I will be following it closely.
Hi I am totally shocked at reading your web site, I have just received an NIP in
the mail today for driving through this set of traffic lights on green, over the
speed limit, it states on the letter that I was driving at 40, I do not know
this area very well and was heading to the ferry port, I have been a
proffesional driver for many years and was a driver in the Army for 10 year
driving all over the world. I am a law abiding driver and have had my clean
licence since 1987. I am so upset with this letter that I have received, and now
I have read on line all about how this is just a money spinner and not an
accident black spot. I now face the possobility of a fine and points for driving
to fast on a Duel Carriage way, its a total JOKE!
I have received my first speeding notice of
prosecution on the Holes Bay Road "speed on green" camera after 25+years of
driving.
We were utterly shocked when we looked up the
location of the camera and realised that the offence was for driving over 30mph
on a dual carriageway.
I see that there have been thousands of
drivers caught out in this way in the few months since this camera was
installed, many of whom are sensible drivers who would not intentionally break
the limit, and I think this demonstrates not only that the speed limit on that
stretch of road is absurd and out-of-kilter with the norm, but also that the
signage is clearly not effective enough.
We have since driven down the road again to have
another look, and saw a large number of 50mph speed restriction signs, some of
which were mounted on bright yellow backgrounds, yet when we reached the 30mph
sign it was just a regular sign and easily missed.
When I got my ticket in December last year, I Had a moan at
my nephew who is a Sergeant class one Police driver in Cambridgeshire- needless
to say I got no sympathy! I explained the fact there had been only one accident
in 1999 but he insisted there must be a serious risk of accidents for the
authorities to place a camera there. Even after I went to great lengths to
describe the the road layout, the fact that it is a very wide junction with
unrestricted vision al around - the position of the traffic light above the
junction which draws you through the junction when the road is clear and the
light is on green - still no sympathy ! He and his family came to stay with me
last weekend-so I took him out to the holes bay road as he wanted to visit PC
World. On our way back, he was driving, as we approached the traffic lights at
Sterte road, the road ahead was completely clear he was slowing down and the
lights were on green , I was watching his speedometer and he was just below 40
mp. and we would have continued through the junction at that speed, but I had to
warn him, he braked, and we got through hopefully "without a ticket". He now
sympathizes with my feelings about this camera.
Strange thing is I wasn’t driving dangerously, the conditions were dry and it
was at a time and on a day when there was next to no one around and of course
not forgetting that it’s a dual carriageway and certainly not a built up area,
which incidentally the guidance note sent with my NIP tells me where I ought to
expect a 30mph limit? So yes enjoy my discomfort and my money whoever you are
and please allow yourselves the fantasy that you are realistically dealing with
road safety and making a worthwhile contribution to reducing fatal injuries at
this most dangerous of junctions.
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Dear Ian, your website is great and very informative. Have
just been caught 39 mph at junction of holes bay and sterte - cannot believe it
really as years ago had 6 points all questionable but hey enough to increase
road awarness and be ever more mindful. I've never caused an accident but been
hit 7 times so very aware and cannot believe I have been so silly....or so I
thought. I can only say that I thought 50 was the limit and so there must be
some visual 'clues' that cause this confusion I have read that there are clear
30 mph signs but I dont recall seeing them - the road is so wide ? perhaps my
mind took no notice of the signs which is odd. Anyway I have read your info with
interest and am really surprised that revenue makers are allowed to exist. Can
you suggest whom I write to to complain about this rather mindless trap.
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Hello Ian am a 46 year old HGV owner driver just been done by the infamous
holesbay camera.I was caught at 40mph but thought the limit was 40? Can i do
anything to get off with this crazy fine ?
Mr Garrett indicated
that some 9700 had exceeded the 30mph speed – although not exceeded 50mph as I
requested. This is an enormous number; I cannot believe all these people are
maniacs. Anyway I will continue the crusade and I hope you are successful
I was trapped doing 43mph at 6.20am on my
way to the Poole ferry in May. I was not a danger to anyone because no one was
about
These are a sample of comments received 30th June - 20th July 2010:
"if they really want people to drive at 30 down there, put more signs up, and
maybe average speed cameras for the whole section- at least you know where you
stand then..."
"I drove at exactly the speed limit today and it felt very very slow for the
type of road"
"I read with relief the article in the Dorset Echo regarding
the Holes Bay Rd camera. Thank goodness there are others who feel a crime has
been committed against them by this camera."
"My training was that a vehicle should always be driven so that in an emergency
you have the option of braking or accelerating. Braking sharply when a light is
clear green and there are vehicles right behind you is a recipe for being
shunted in the rear"
"The positioning of the camera gives
the impression that it is to catch anyone 'jumping the lights' not to enforce
the ridiculous speed limit there."
"I strongly support your action against this speed
camera. I have had a clean licence for 40 years. I have been attending the Poole
bike meet for the past 3 years. I have just received 2 notices of speeding 29th
June and 6th July doing 40 mph both times at this stretch of road. "
"First of all, high five for all your work on the speed cameras, it’s good to
see some support on this issue!"
"Thank God, at last, someone is attempting to bring the
injustice of this camera location to the wider public. I have lived in Poole for
the past 15 years and have travelled along the holes bay road many, many times
and I have never seen an accident on this stretch of road or any related
incident"
"WELL DONE for highlighting this! My 19 year old son has just been caught - not
what he needs what with the cost of insurance for his age group. Let's hope
people power can get a result."
"After driving with no NIPs for nearly 30 years I was appalled to receive a NIP
for doing 37 mph at this particular junction. I was driving with the road
conditions and visibility in mind as I always do. I did not complain or ask for
proof (I am the only driver of the vehicle) and paid the fine but was surprised
and angered subsequently to find this was not an accident ‘black spot’ and feel
that this camera has not been placed there to deal with any safety issues"
"I saw the article about you in the Bournemouth Echo
last night, and totally agree with you about the speed camera on Holes Bay Road,
there is no need for the juction to suddenly drop to 30 mph from 50 mph; it is
ridiculous! I got caught there in December last year, while travelling home from
my in-laws the weekend before Christmas on a Sunday night, and I had the fine
within 3 or 4 days, just before Christmas, so it made me feel great!! "
"This is my first speeding fine for 40 years, I still have one of the original
green paper licences (Nov 77 to May 21). I feel I was driving safely and can
confirm that there was little traffic, certainly not the pedestrians and
cyclists cited to justify the location of this camera. It is difficult to feel
respect for a justice system which "criminalises" people like myself in order to
earn revenue."
"It is so easy to get caught out. We drive regularly for 30 odd miles on
surrounding routes at 50 mph to a point where the speed limit suddenly drops to
30 mph on a dual carriageway and is policed at that very point by a speed
camera. Please get rid of this evil thing. It has nothing to do with road
safety."
"I am angry about it because I am constantly being passed on dual carriageways
by vehicles being driven in excess of 80mph and on single lane
roads, showing speed limits of between 40 and 50mph, in excess of 60mph. That
camera is just a machine for generating cash and is NOT to do with safety."
"Just reading your website, and I would like to say, great stuff, I am a local
Poole resident, not that far from Sterte, or the Business Park."
"If money was spent on measures that reduced the number of tickets
issued per week, like rumble strips or whatever, we might be more convinced that
they had our safety interests at heart and not their revenue raising
intetrests."
"Essentially the purpose of this email to encourage you to keep up all the good
work, as fighting this level of bureaucratic persecution of drivers must be
frustrating to say the least."
"If ever I saw a camera situated for revenue collection and not safety this is
it!"
"I'm impressed - won't be a problem for me as I always stick to the speed limit
come what may (yeh right). Up here we'd have firebombed the contraption by now."
"I totally agree that the camera at the Holes Bay
lights (Speed on Green) must go. It is a synical money making trap that has no
material effect on road safety."
"Well done. Keep up the Superb work."
"Hi Ian i just wanted to congratulate you on all the good work you have done so
far. Some one needs to stand up to this GREED on speed !! You have my full
support"
"I believe that it is unfair to penalise law abiding
motorists in this way especially when the statistics suggest that revenue
raising rather than road safety is the main issue." /font>
"When I received the NIP through I was in shock as we
hadn’t realized
that the limit had changed and couldn’t believe that
a Dual Carriageway would be that low, especially with the low level of
pedestrian use in that area"
"It's great to see that our fine council
is choosing it's speed camera locations so wisely and I only hope that our
"representatives" make good use of their rapidly expanding slush fund."
"I have never had any speeding or other offence
on my licence in the whole time the I have been driving, (about 35 years), until
about three months ago, when I was done by this camera, and again about a month
later. 6 points. I am now aware that I am not alone about being very concerned
about this....the camera is wrong...and the reason for its existance is wrong"
"I’m off to my
Driver Awareness Course this week. I will have to behave myself. My blood boils
every time I think of this."
"If this was all about safety
rather than revenue, there would be an advance warning of the reduced speed
limit on this busy road and regular size signs from the beginning of the 30mph
zone."
These comments were received before the 30th June, 2010
"This seems to be a totally unnecessary camera monitoring location. According to
DSCP's reporting to 2008, there have been no fatal or serious accidents and 9
minor accidents at this junction in 11 years, with no change in the frequency of
accidents before and after the red light camera was established in 2002. In
addtion, using some useful map websites, the camera is positioned 164 yards
after the change from 50 to 30mph. This seems very close. Even at 30mph this
will take you jjust 11 seconds."/span>
"No one in their right mind would expect the multi-lane road around Holes Bay
to have a 30mph limit and are therefore prey to the "scameras". The council must
be making a fortune here - and I have to say, I'm disappointed as I thought
Dorset had a more sensible approach to speed limits than most."
"Therefore, I can only draw the conclusion that the council isn't making
sufficient money out of law abiding citizens like ourselves, so they need to
bolster their coffers by theft"
"Myself, my father in law and my brother in law were all "caught
speeding" by this speed on green on the same day at differing times
within a 10 minute period 2 weeks ago and we have all received NIP's.
God knows how many others were "caught". There was hardly any traffic
about and the lights were on green so we all obviously drove happily
along oblivious to the hidden camera....."
"There is no way on earth that it should be a 30 zone - how they can
justify it i'll never know...... it can have absolutely nothing to do
with road safety at that junction."
"I
then started to think more about it and I began to question why as a middle-aged
law abiding citizen, I am employed in a large UK blue chip company, I am happily
married with two kids, I have no loans, I pay my taxes, I save for my
retirement etc. etc. In addition I have been driving for 40 years, I was
brought up in family where roadcraft was high on the agenda and both my parents
were members of the
Institute of
Advanced Motorists
(I AM). Prior to my first camera ticket I had been driving safely for 30 years.
So why on a sunny afternoon in May am I being criminalised for driving safely
and being of no threat to the community?"
"It soon became clear that
this camera placement has caused significant reaction from the public and
therefore is hugely controversial. Your link to the Daily Echo article and the
associated discussion is very revealing and had not the Daily Echo closed the
discussion I suspect there would now be thousands of hits. It is thus no
surprise that the general view is that the whole A 350 Sterte Road set up,
consciously or unconsciously, has been set up to entrap motorists who are not
“petrol heads” “bikers” or “boy racers” but ordinary safe members of the public"
"This is just to inform you that I have been caught speeding at Holes Bay Road,
Poole and I am fuming about it. For several years now, I have been driving along
that road without any problem and suddenly, they have started to use the Camera
to catch people who are speeding at the traffic light instead of catching people
who jump the Traffic light. The speed of 30 miles per hour along that road is
stupid and very difficult to enforce. I believe that this is only done in order
to raise cash and not for safety reason."
"I may even get another two more tickets coming as I drove past that road on
three occasions. To suddenly be given three fines and 9 points on my licence
when I am a hard working and law abiding member of the community, it does not
sound fair to me."
"I just wanted to let you know I'm in support of the aims of
DorsetSpeed.org.uk, Although I haven't had a ticket myself, my wife got
one on the holes bay 'speed on green' which brought this to my attention
and does appear to be a completely unjustified operation on the part of
the DSCP, especially considering the surrounding area's crossings and
rrroad layouts."
"I will be sending my fine back today attached with a letter of my strong views
of this disgraceful money making activity. Hopefully something will be done so
that future driver's aren't stung, and that real crimes are focused upon, then
maybe one day I may return to Dorset."
"It really is a silly speed
limit they say its for safety ? WHO'S ?? I have no other conviction ever
iin the past 6 years of driving."
"To add to your statistics I have been clocked twice
at the Holes Bay traffic lights, both on occasions when the only injuries I
could possibly have caused were to low flying seagulls."
"As I have zero points on my license and still have an 'old' fashioned driving
license with no photo I am surprised after all this time to be prosecuted for
speeding. My car is a very slow Peugeot 1007 and I drive for fuel economy rather
than speed and I always try to drive within the speed limit."
"I have just been caught by the new stealth camera on the Holes Bay road. I had
no idea that I had broken the speed limit until the Notice Of
Intended Prosecution came through the door.This is just another stealth tax and
has absolutely nothing to do with safety"
"Just been caught out on this
one, ‘speed’ on green. I have read your website and agree it is a perfectly
safe junction so can only assume the 30mph limit is to increase revenues."
"The real reason for the speed on green camera here is the 3000+ motorbikes that
use the junction every tuesday night. It's a license to print money. I agree
that these cameras need to be stopped"
"I think that this is a case of money grabbing, not road safety."
"The DSCP is purely a money making organisation.
They are not the slightest bit interested in road safety.
If they were they would place speed cameras outside every school on a main road
(like Bournemouth School for Girls on Castle Lane West for example.)
All local motorists know where the cameras are and slow down and then speed up
again. Useless. So the DSCP now have to resort to what I consider to be dirty
tricks to screw the motorist: lowering speed limits on busy dual carriageways
designed for higher speeds is one blatant ploy to catch more drivers due to the
volume of traffic. (Wessex Way. 40mph? You're having a laugh!)
Another is the "Speed on Green" cameras cited at junctions where there is a very
small stretch of road from a higher speed limit down to 30mph (Holes Bay at
Sterte Avenue).
It's no wonder the majority of motorists despise organisations like the DSCP.
They are a money making scam. Nothing more, nothing less."
"The DSCP tell me they are not aware that 5% currently exceed 80mph on the
Dorset Way. They get their stats from the council who have either not worked
this out from their own data logger, or think this is acceptable. The DSCP have
never been asked to enforce the Dorset Way.
With a ban on new fixed cameras, how does Poole council intend to enforce the
new unrealistic and ridiculous 50mph limit when they failed to enforce the 70mph
limit?
What a mess from a Tory controlled council, but to be expected with a bunch of
old duffers and housewives in control."
"I gone caught southbound at junction with sterte
road 4 weeks ago - the speed on green camera. 37mph at 5.30 in the morning on a
deserted road. £70 for a 3 hour driver training course is a bit rich but better
than the £60 fine and 3 points. Cant believe I didnt see it...i had heard about
it some months before. Pure money making excersise surely."
"Speeding is illegal, I have no argument there, but this set up in Poole feels
like it’s there to raise cash rather than slow people down or catch criminals."
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