Frequently Asked Questions


What is NESCAMP What is the North East Safety Camera Partnership?
	It is a partnership between Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, The Moray Council, Transport Scotland and Grampian Police, supported by NHS Grampian, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service, with the aim of reducing excessive and inappropriate speed by changing driver behaviour, and thus reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on North East Roads.
When was the partnership introduced?
	The partnership launched on Monday 11th November 2002 at Aberdeenshire Council Headquarters, Woodhill house in Aberdeen.
How is the partnership funded?
	The partnership is funded by a grant from the Scottish Executive, administered by the Scottish Safety Camera Programme Office.
Where are the cameras situated?
	The cameras are both fixed and mobile. The location of mobile cameras are determined by rigorous traffic surveys and collision data analysis, to ensure they are sited only in areas with a history of collisions attributed to excessive or inappropriate speed.
Why use mobile cameras?
	Mobile cameras are used periodically in areas where there have been a number of collisions, serious or fatal, to ensure that drivers take more care and reduce their speed at those locations. Many collisions occur after careless manoeuvres, such as overtaking at speed, and those mobile cameras assist speeding enforcement along those routes, particularly in rural locations where they mainly occur.
Which other Police Forces in Scotland have a Safety Camera Partnership?
	Every Police Force and demographic region in Scotland have a Safety Camera Partnership, Central Scotland were the last to come on board in April 2006.
What happens if I get caught speeding? What happens now I've been caught speeding?
	Registered keepers of vehicles photographed by Safety Cameras exceeding the speed limit will receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution through the mail, these will be sent from the office within 14 days of the alleged offence. In most instances, as an alternative to prosecution, you will be offered a Fixed Penalty Notice of a £60 fine and three penalty points endorsed on your licence. This penalty must be paid within 28 days of the Fixed Penalty Notice being issued. It is not possible to pay a higher penalty to avoid the penalty points. If your speed is above a certain limit you may be prosecuted in court where you will be fined and have your driving licence endorsed, or you may be disqualified from driving. A total of 12 penalty points on your licence within 3 years means that you will have to appear in court and you will be disqualified from driving for a minimum of 6 months. You are able to argue against disqualification if you feel you can establish mitigating circumstances. In Scotland, the necessity to drive in order to do your job is not regarded as mitigating circumstances. If you are a new driver and you accumulate 6 penalty points or more within 2 years of passing your test, your driving licence will be revoked by DVLA Swansea and you will have to retake both the theory and practical test.
What if I cannot produce all the required documents?
	If you choose to accept a Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty the only document you will be required to produce is your driving licence. If you have the new photo card driving licence you must produce the photo card and the paper counterpart section of your licence. Any queries regarding your driving licence, for example "it's lost", should be directed to the District Court Fines Office detailed on your correspondence.
What if the address on my drivers licence is not correct?
	If you have changed address it is your responsibility to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of the change. Failure to do so is an offence. However, the penalty points will be put onto your licence as it is and your licence returned to you. You should then complete and sign the change of address section on your licence and send it to the DVLA Swansea who will update their records. DVLA now only issue photo card licences. If you already have one, they will send you a replacement showing your new address. If you have an old style paper licence, they will send you an information pack and you will have to complete and return the documentations, together with photographs and proof of identity, before receiving your new licence. This also applies if your name is different to that on your licence. If you sell your vehicle you must notify DVLA of the sale and you are strongly advised to keep a record of when and to whom you sold it, particularly if it was a private sale.
What if I wasn't driving/not sure who was?
	As the registered owner of the vehicle you will be required to provide information as to the identity of the driver at the time of the alleged offence. You must respond to this requirement within 28 days of receiving the notice. This is your responsibility as the registered keeper of the vehicle. The Police may also make this requirements of any other person they believe may have such information. Registered keepers of vehicles have an obligation to know at all times who has use of their vehicle. Companies and fleet vehicle users should keep a log of who is using their vehicles at any time and be incorporating this into their Management of Occupational Road Risk Strategy as part of their commitment to Health & Safety at Work If in doubt, then contact the Camera Unit who issued the notice to discuss the circumstances. In many circumstances appointments can be made to view video/photo evidence of the alleged offence to identify the driver. Failure to respond to the requirement to identify a driver will result in further action being taken against you.
What happens if I choose not to pay the fine?
	Failure to respond within 28 days to your first Notice of Intended Prosecution may result in your case being passed to the Procurator Fiscal for failure to provide the required information. If you choose to ignore the conditional offer of 3 points and £60 fine, which is sent out after we receive the completed Notice of Intended Prosecution, you will be prosecuted in the District Court, where the penalties can be much higher than a Conditional Offer - maximum fine of £1000 and an endorsement of 3 - 6 penalty points.
How long will the points stay on my licence?
	Points will stay 'live' on your licence for 3 years from the date of the offence, although they will appear on your licence for 4 years.
My licence already has penalty points on it, can I accept a Fixed Penalty?
	You should be able to comply unless: You currently have 9 or more penalty points. You will not be eligible to take part in the conditional offer scheme due to the "totting-up" procedure. If 12 or more points are accumulated within any three-year rolling period, the driver is liable for disqualification. OR If you passed your first driving test in the UK, another EEA State, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar or the Isle of Man during the last two years, and if following conviction by a Court or acceptance of a Fixed Penalty, you reach 6 points, your driving licence will be revoked. The Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 refers.
I have a Northern Ireland licence, will I receive a conditional offer?
	In order to receive a conditional offer you must apply to DVLA for a GB counterpart licence. This will allow you to take advantage of the Fixed Penalty system rather than going to court. The relevant D9 forms are available at the Post Office.
Answers to previously asked questions How can you prove the cameras are accurate?
	All NESCAMP Safety Cameras are calibrated by their manufacturer once a year and a copy of a calibration certificate is available on request and on this website. In addition. the Mobile Safety Cameras are checked at the beginning and the end of every tour of duty.
Why do you call them 'Safety Cameras' when they are really just Speed Cameras?
	The term 'Safety Camera' includes Red light Cameras* as well as Speed Cameras. Whilst we do not plan to introduce Red Light Cameras at this point in time, they may well be a future consideration for the Partnership. *Red Light Cameras are those situated on the top of traffic lights and monitor vehicles going through red lights.
Why do you place speed cameras on straight roads? Surely it is more dangerous to speed on bends or corners?
	It has been shown that encouraging drivers to reduce speed on straight roads, makes them take bends at a much safer speed. A camera placed on a bend could cause some drivers to brake on the bend which, in itself, can lead to an collision. This would therefore have a detrimental effect on road safety.
Is this not just an example of the Police acting as 'big brother'?
	No, we are not intending to catch drivers out. If they are observing the speed limit they will have nothing to worry about. We are very open about where fixed and mobile cameras are sited and they will also be highly visible. The initiative is all about making the North East's roads safer, which most people in the area have identified as a top priority. The cost to society in Grampian for road casualties in 2001, the year prior to the Partnership being established, was over £107 million and any concentrated effort to reduce accidents will be a benefit to everyone. Last year, 2005, the cost to society in Grampian for road casualties was over £133 million. *Financial figures taken from Road Accidents Scotland 2001 & 2005.
How will the public know where the cameras are?
	The location of mobile cameras will be publicised in the local media and on this website. Fixed site safety cameras are highly visible, with distinctive red and yellow housings, in line with Scottish Executive guidelines. Officers engaged in mobile camera sites will be operating in conspicuous marked vehicles.
What is a 'car derived van'
	Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, a 'car derived van' is defined as:- A goods vehicle which is constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes. The important word in this definition is 'and' as there are goods vehicles that look as if they are based on a a passenger vehicle, but when the manufacturer puts a gross laden weight on the goods vehicle, which is the design weight of the vehicle plus the maximum load that it is designed to carry, and this exceeds 2 tonnes, that vehicle is no longer a car derived van. The van becomes an ordinary goods vehicle under 7.5 tonnes gross weight, and is therefore subject to the speed limits as shown in the Highway Code. Examples over 2 tonnes are Vauxhall Vivaros and Ford Transits. Please check your vehicle handbook if you are unsure about the classification on your vehicle.
What speed limits do 'crawler' lanes have?
	A crawler lane is defined by the Highway Code at Rule 139 as Climbing and crawler lanes. These are provided on some hills. Use this lane if you are driving a slow moving vehicle or if there are vehicles behind you wishing to overtake. These sections of road have the same speed limit as the road where they are positioned, if it is a single carriageway road it is the national speed limit of 60mph unless otherwise indicated. A single carriageway road is defined as "single carriageway road" means a road which is not a dual carriageway road;" The simple way to look at this matter is, If there is no central reservation it cannot be a dual carriageway as the definition for a dual carriageway is " a road which comprises a central reservation and "all-purpose dual carriageway road" means a dual carriageway road which is not a motorway.
	If, after looking through the above questions, you have any other questions relating to the Safety Cameras and NESCAMP please email them to nescamp@grampian.police.uk and we will answer then as quickly and informatively as possible.

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