Criminal, not civil
Speeding ticket or red light camera
Voidly does not write letters for speeding or red light offences, and it would be wrong of us to try. These are criminal matters and they work nothing like a parking ticket.
Return the driver details form within 28 days
Failing to say who was driving is a separate criminal offence carrying six penalty points and a fine that is usually larger than the speeding penalty itself. Return the form even if you intend to dispute the offence. The two things are separate.
Why it is different
A parking Penalty Charge Notice is a civil charge. You challenge it, an independent adjudicator can overturn it, and the worst outcome is that you pay the amount you were always being asked for.
A Notice of Intended Prosecution is the start of a criminal process. There is no appeal stage. Anything you write can be produced in court and can amount to an admission. The outcome can include penalty points, a fine calculated from your income, and in serious cases disqualification.
An automatically generated letter is the wrong tool for that, and using one could make your position worse.
What to do instead
- 1
Return the Section 172 form on time
Within 28 days. Answer honestly. If you were not driving and genuinely do not know who was, explain what you did to find out.
- 2
Decide on the conditional offer
If you are offered a fixed penalty or a speed awareness course, accepting closes the matter. Declining sends it to court, where the penalty can be higher.
- 3
Get proper advice before disputing anything
If you intend to contest the offence, or if you are at risk of disqualification through totting up, speak to a motoring solicitor. Many offer a free initial call. This is not a situation for a template.
Common questions
Can I appeal a speeding ticket?
Not in the way you appeal a parking ticket. Speeding and red light offences are criminal matters. There is no informal appeal stage and no independent adjudicator. You either accept a conditional offer of a fixed penalty, or you decline it and the matter goes to a Magistrates' Court where you plead guilty or not guilty.
What is a Section 172 request?
It is the part of the notice asking you to say who was driving. It must be returned within 28 days. It is a legal requirement, not an optional form, and it is separate from the question of whether you accept the offence.
What happens if I ignore it?
Failing to provide driver details is a separate offence under section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It carries six penalty points and a fine that is usually far larger than the original speeding penalty. People regularly end up worse off by ignoring the form than they would have been by returning it.
What if I do not know who was driving?
You must show you took reasonable diligence to find out. Say honestly what you know and what steps you took. Never guess, and never put down someone else's name to make it go away. Naming the wrong driver is perverting the course of justice and carries a custodial sentence.
What is a speed awareness course?
For lower-range speeds, and if you have not done one in the last three years, the police may offer a course instead of points. You pay for it yourself, but you avoid penalty points and the insurance consequences that follow them.
Got a parking, camera or clean air charge instead?
Those are civil charges and we can help with all of them — parking, bus lanes, box junctions, ULEZ, clean air zones, tolls, school streets and vehicle removals.
Start my appealThis page is general information about how the process works. It is not legal advice and Voidly is not a law firm. For a criminal motoring matter, speak to a qualified solicitor.