Following on from yesterday's article about Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (Olly Martins) wanting all drivers who travel at more than 70 miles per hour to be fined in order to raise money for the police, the Telegraph reports that police have more than doubled the amount they collect from running speed awareness courses since 2010, despite a warning from ministers to stop raising revenue from speeding offences.
While the money collected from speeding fines goes to the Treasury, police forces are able to keep what they charge for running speed awareness courses, around £100 a time.
The vast majority of motorists prefer this option over a fine, because they avoid having points added to their licence and thereby keep their insurance premiums down.
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Isn’t it typical that when public bodies find themselves short of cash, the very last thing that they will attempt is to operate more economically.
ReplyDeleteIndeed and that is because people will say something along the lines of:-
Delete"""Personally, I'd rather speeding motorists (and those using mobile anythings at the wheel) be fined thousands if it keeps our NHS and police force going. After all, a motorist has a choice, keep your eyes on the speedometer and don't go over the limit, or get fined and help put another teacher in a school, a bobby on the beat or a nurse in a ward. If drivers what to go faster than 70, then lobby your MP for a law change, ask for a special licence (hey, £500/yr lets you legally drive at 80, what's not to like?) or go on holiday in Germany.""""
Sadly, those of that ilk, don't appreciate that organisations like the NHS and our police have huge budgets but they don't know how to manage them.
Speaking as a retired NHS ward based employee, I used to have huge problems getting any thing done on my ward which would benefit my patients or staff.....Indeed, I created the term "Free at the point of rationing" to describe our NHS overall.
I did see however that, if the chief executive or other non ward based senior manager wanted a new desk, carpet, PC or water dispenser, there was always money there for that. There was always money for special info gathering trips for senior, non clinical staff, there was always money for difference and diversity training but, if you needed a sink fixing, a box of sticky plasters or an extra loo roll, you needed to buy yourself some knee pads and start grovelling for them.
The problem is that we pay huge levels of tax, indeed HMRC have just reported a record take, but still according to some, especially those of the left, we still have austerity even though ALL public spending has increased.
Our police service(sic) and our NHS need a root and branch overhaul led by those on the front line, not politicians nor box ticking suits. We need to decide just what we want our NHS to do and not do, we need the same to happen to our police forces, our education (indoctrination) system, our government, our local authorities etc etc. Huge amounts of money are there, we just need to spend it more wisely.
"Personally, I'd rather speeding motorists (and those using mobile anythings at the wheel) be fined thousands if it keeps our NHS and police force going"
ReplyDeleteAlternatively save them money.
Extend the Advanced Driver training system. Split into various sections: wet, dry, night, urban, rural, motorway etc. Loosely (because it would have to be phased in), you'd have a gratis period after first passing your test and you'd have to be passing a test every so often or face a financial penalty. Here's the clever part: not a fine.
You'd face a mandatory insurance premium surcharge, increasing year on year until you're priced off the road. The surcharge is entirely ring-fenced. You get it back once you pass all the tests, minus interest. The interest pays for the overhead of running the surcharge.
It would also create a new industry - for Advanced Driver trainers who could then be paid. As the industry expands, the scheme could slowly be extended to existing drivers until eventually it covers all of us.
I've thought a lot about this and there are no downsides. Granted this is too small a space to explain in detail. I've outlined the basics though.
Totally Agree
DeleteIn my spare time I am the Chief Flying Instructor of a large flying school, so I am used to annual proficiency checks, skills upgrading, recurrent training and the like. I am also constantly watching other people fly, and by extension, drive.
The standard of driving out here in the colonies is appalling. Lane discipline is non-existent, speeding is so common the police have all but given up trying to enforce limits (especially on the major highways). I see people talking and texting on cell phones while driving all the time.
Annual driving tests and skills upgrading would be most welcome, but there is no political will (and much political won't) to do this.
Even more laughable is the mandatory testing for drivers over 80 yrs. This has to be done every two years to make sure they are still OK to drive. It is a written test!! What the hell use is that? I finally confiscated my 90 year old Mother's licence since her reaction times can be measured with a calendar, yet she always passed the "test".
Quite agree with you, Expat in Canada!
ReplyDeleteTonk said: "Speaking as a retired NHS ward based employee, I used to have huge problems getting any thing done on my ward which would benefit my patients or staff.....Indeed, I created the term "Free at the point of rationing" to describe our NHS overall. I did see however that, if the chief executive or other non ward based senior manager wanted a new desk, carpet, PC or water dispenser, there was always money there for that. There was always money for special info gathering trips for senior, non clinical staff, there was always money for difference and diversity training but, if you needed a sink fixing, a box of sticky plasters or an extra loo roll, you needed to buy yourself some knee pads and start grovelling for them."
Sums up all that is wrong with this country in both central and local government and public services. For example, when "savings" need to be made, the first thing to be cut are the essential services that the poorest and most vulnerable in society rely upon, or jobs of those doing the real work, whilst executives, along with their perks, bonuses etc are hardly ever touched.
I also get the impression that by cutting frontline services it gets more publicity and thus keeps the myth of spending cuts going.
DeleteLet's face it, there would be no news story if the suits in the ivory tower reduced the spend on their desks and water coolers but, make a child wait an hour for a plaster, and the media and twitterati go into overdrive.
How much more of our dosh do these arseholes want?
ReplyDeleteAll of it appears to be the answer to your question.....They will of course return to us a little pocket money.
Delete