Qualification for speed awareness courses

Dear Mr Webster

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080005523
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 20/08/2008. I note you seek
access to the following information:

* Please could you inform me what the criteria is for drivers being
offered the option of a speed awareness course, rather than being
given points on their license, when they are caught speeding.
* Could you also please tell me; (a) how many drivers caught speeding
are offered a course compared to those that get a fine and points on
their license; and (b) of those offered a course, how many take up the
offer.
* Ideally, I would like the most recent figures you have for the
Metropolitan Police area, say for example the first 6 months of 2008.
If this is not possible please could I have these figures for 2007.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act,
subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference
to a third party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to
achieve this deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and
given a revised time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right
of complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest
in the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
write or contact Shannon Aldridge on telephone number 020 7161 3527
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Shannon Aldridge
Support Officer
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think
the decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your
request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is
to telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your
decision letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues
and assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision
of the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act)
regarding access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS
to have the decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied
with the decision you may make application to the Information
Commissioner for a decision on whether the request for information has
been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information
Commissioner please visit their website at
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk. Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Webster,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080005523

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 20/08/2008. I note you seek
access to the following information:

1. Please could you inform me what the criteria is for drivers being
offered the option of a speed awareness course, rather than being
given points on their license, when they are caught speeding. Could
you also please tell me;
2. (a) how many drivers caught speeding are offered a course compared to
those that get a fine and points on their license; and
3. (b) of those offered a course, how many take up the offer.

Ideally, I would like the most recent figures you have for the
Metropolitan Police area, say for example the first 6 months of 2008. If
this is not possible please could I have these figures for 2007.

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within the MPS
to locate information relevant to your request. I can confirm that the
information you have requested is held by the MPS.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose the following:

1. Speed awareness courses are offered when a vehicle exceeds the speed
limit within a predefined speed-band above the enforcement threshold
for the safety camera concerned. A driver may only take up the offer
of the course if he/she has not attended a similar course within the
preceeding two years. I have decided not to disclose the speed bands
employed for the reasons given at "Reason for Decision" below.
2. (your question (a)) In the year 2007 some 62,980 offers of a speed
awareness course were made in the Metropolitan Police area. In the
same period, 91,657 conditional offers of fixed penalty (**60 + 3
driving licence endorsement points) were issued.
3. (your question (b)) Of the 62,980 course offers referred to at 2,
above, some 36,123 (57.4%) resulted in attendance at a course.

REASON FOR DECISION

With regard to question "1", above, Section 17 of the Act provides:

(1) A public authority which, in relation to any request for
information, is to any extent relying on a claim that any provision in
part II relating to the duty to confirm or deny is relevant to the request
or on a claim that information is exempt information must, within the time
for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice which-

(a) states the fact,
(b) specifies the exemption in question, and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the
exemption applies.

Section 31 of the Act states: "information is exempt if its disclosure
under this Act would, or would be likely to:
a) Prejudice the prevention or
detection of crime
b) The apprehension or
prosecution of offenders
c) The administration of
justice"

Section 38 of the Act states: "information is exempt if its disclosure
under this Act would, or would be likely to:

a) endager the physical or
mental health of any individual, or
b) endanger the safety of any
individual"
Harm Test
In considering whether or not this information should be disclosed, I have
considered the potential HARM that could be caused by disclosure.
Disclosure of the speed band criterion for offer of a speed awareness
course would, by definition, require the activation thresholds of safety
cameras to be disclosed.
Public interest considerations favouring disclosure
Awareness of the threshold speeds of speed safety cameras could assist
individuals in gaining an understanding of road safety in areas where
cameras are routinely deployed. This would help them gain awareness
regarding road safety issues.
Public interest considerations favouring non-disclosure
Information released under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) is
released into the public domain, not just to the individual requesting the
information. While individual requests for speed threshold dataa may pose
no threat to the prevention or detection of crime or to public safety, it
is possible that subsequent requests of a similar nature could enable
camera deployment and enforcement patterns to be plotted.

In these circumstances the information requested may enable individuals to
draw conclusions about the likelihood of being caught on camera and lead
to individuals making decisions about where and by what margin it is
"safe" to speed.
Balancing Test

After weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the
disclosure of the above information would not be in the public interest.
I consider that the benefit that would result from the information being
disclosed does not outweigh disclosing information relating to speed
detection thresholds.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Jon Plant on telephone number 0207 230 1333 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Jon Plant
Senior Operations Manager

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law. Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again ***

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections