The camera enforcement process is robust to ensure that there is transparency and accuracy with regards to detecting traffic offences. The trigger speeds are set to 10% + 2mph (e.g. 35mph in a 30mph limit), which means that no vehicle will be detected below that speed. There are back office checks to ensure the speeds are within our enforcement thresholds, which ensures that no Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) is sent out below those speeds.

However, if you have the NIP and it states that you were detected below the threshold, we will refund your money. Please send in the NIP form that lists your alleged offence to Northumbria Polices Fixed Penalty Unit at:

Fixed Penalty Unit
Force Headquarters
North Road
Ponteland
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE20 OBL

If you do not have a copy of your NIP form, then you can request one at the above address. Please site your reference number or the vehicle registration.

If you wish a copy of the picture of the offence or calibration certificate, please send your request with your offence reference number that will begin with C to Northumbria Police Fixed Penalty Unit at:

Fixed Penalty Unit
Force Headquarters
North Road
Ponteland
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE20 OBL

Our camera locations are available from the Camera Map section of our website. Please follow the link below. This will provide you a list of our active camera sites for mobile, fixed and red-light cameras http://www.safespeedforlife.co.uk/cam-locations.asp. There is also a link to the list of our public concern sites, which are enforced with mobile safety cameras http://www.safespeedforlife.co.uk/public_concern_sites.asp.

With reference to the speed limit, if there is a regular system of street-lighting without repeater signs, this indicates a 30mph limit. As per the Highway Code all roads are a 30mph limit unless otherwise stated.

We do not believe that speeding, even by a 'fraction' is a minor issue. Speeding and other traffic offences are responsible for hundreds of deaths and thousands of serious injuries every year.

A pedestrian is twice as likely to die at 35mph as at 30mph. They are 4 times more likely to die at 40mph than at 30mph. Just a few miles per hour makes a drastic difference to the survival of a pedestrian, but is negligible in terms of your time saved on your journey.

Our aim is to ensure motorists treat speeding and other traffic offences more seriously, rather than as a trivial matter. The purpose of enforcement is to target dangerous or inappropriate driving and it has nothing to do with the individual.

Exceeding the speed limit was reported as a factor in 5% of accidents, but these accidents involved 17% of fatalities. At least one of exceeding the speed limit and traveling too fast for the conditions was reported in 13% of all accidents and these accidents accounted for 20% of all fatalities.

Speed plays a vital part in the severity of the collision. While it may not have been a factor in the cause of the collision, certainly the outcome and survival is influenced by the speed of the vehicle. Speed is certainly a prevalent factor to a pedestrian. A pedestrian may have walked out in front of a vehicle or a distraction may have prevented a driver from seeing the pedestrian, but even just a few miles over the limit will have an impact on the survivability of the pedestrian and could impact on the legal consequences for the driver.

The width of the road is not always relevant to the speed of the road. There are many factors that influence the speed restrictions on a road. However, whether a motorist believes a road should be a different speed limit, it is the responsibility of the motorist to ensure they are aware of the speed restrictions.

We operate at the Association of Chief Police Officers recommended threshold of 10% + 2mph of the speed limit, (e.g. in a 30mph limit enforcement commences at 35mph). This speed is only a fraction but can increases the likelihood of a fatality by 50%.

Fines paid through the fixed penalty scheme go directly to the Treasury. There is no element of profit for either the police or the local authorities. Every offence costs the police money in processing. Funding for the partnership comes from local authorities and through recouping money from those attending the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme's such as Speed Awareness Courses.

The local authorities in consultation with the police decide where cameras should be placed. Determining the suitability of a safety camera site to detect speed is based upon a history of collisions and speed. For red-light cameras, it is a history of red-light jumping. (Contravention of a red-light signal)

Rather than receiving fine revenue, the partnership, police and courts' service have to pay the revenue cost associated with the detection and prosecution of the offence. But more importantly, if motorists adhered to the traffic laws, it would make our roads significantly safer for all that use them.

Our aim is to ensure motorists treat speeding and other traffic offences more seriously, rather than as a trivial matter. The purpose of enforcement is to target dangerous or inappropriate driving and it has nothing to do with the individual.

We make every effort to be as transparent and open about enforcement as possible. All of our sites are listed on our website www.safespeedforlife.co.uk, our vans have high visibility livery and there are camera enforcement warning signs upon entry into the site. Fixed cameras have fluorescent yellow livery and a camera warning sign also indicated the speed limit. We also provide those who have been captured the opportunity to view the images of the offence and corresponding information online.

The operation of safety cameras does not impact on core policing in Northumbria Police. Incidentally, many of the offences captured are the types responsible for dozens of fatalities and hundreds of serious injuries every year on the roads of the region. Mobile cameras have the ability to detect a variety of other offences such as mobile phone use, not in proper control and not wearing a seatbelt.