Gatso Calibration and Training

The request was successful.

Dear South Yorkshire Police,
I would like to request a FOI disclosure which is basically to understand the annual money payments to Serco and Gatso for the calibration and maintenance of cameras, staff training, and how the speed is calculated as part of the secondary check.
Q1. How many fixed post Gatso (FPG) and Gatso Red Light(GRL) cameras were in use, on an annual basis, by your partnership in the past three financial years?
Q2.For these cameras, for the past three financial years, what were the total cost amounts paid(TCAP) for the annual calibration of these cameras, identifying the TCAP to intermediate agents such as Serco and the company Gatsometer B.V, and the additional amounts of V.A.T added ?
Q3.Please confirm if the partnership have ownership of these cameras, paid in full, or any other arrangement.
Q4.Please confirm if the calibration contracts (CC) have been agreed for a fixed term with break penalty clauses or negotiated annually, if the CC are inclusive of a greater contract regarding maintenance, and who signed the contracts on behalf of the partnership.
Q5.After the cameras have been returned following calibration please confirm if, apart from the calibration certificate, Gatsometer B.V provide a report on any faults detected and items replaced and, if so, please identify the items, including batteries, that have required replacement.
Q6 After calibration, please confirm if the cameras are returned with a shutter speed of two photographs at intervals of 0.5 seconds, and if your Camera Enforcement Officers make any adjustments to the shutter speed or flash setting prior to reinstallation and, if so, what are the setting adjustments?.
Q7.Regarding the secondary check viewing, please advise how the viewing staff are trained for their task, who does the training, are certificates of completion provided, and are the staff given post training assessments or hard copy reference documentation. Is the work of the viewing staff audited or reviewed at intervals?
Q8.For FPG please confirm the distance between the calibration lines on the road which are part of the secondary check, so that one can calculate the speed if five lines are passed.

Yours faithfully,

dennis fallon

South Yorkshire Police

Dear Mr Fallon

Re your request (reference number above):

Q1. How many fixed post Gatso (FPG) and Gatso Red Light(GRL)
cameras were in use, on an annual basis, by your partnership in the
past three financial years?
Q2.For these cameras, for the past three financial years, what were
the total cost amounts paid(TCAP) for the annual calibration of
these cameras, identifying the TCAP to intermediate agents such as
Serco and the company Gatsometer B.V, and the additional amounts of
V.A.T added ?
Q3.Please confirm if the partnership have ownership of these
cameras, paid in full, or any other arrangement.
Q4.Please confirm if the calibration contracts (CC) have been
agreed for a fixed term with break penalty clauses or negotiated
annually, if the CC are inclusive of a greater contract regarding
maintenance, and who signed the contracts on behalf of the
partnership.
Q5.After the cameras have been returned following calibration
please confirm if, apart from the calibration certificate,
Gatsometer B.V provide a report on any faults detected and items
replaced and, if so, please identify the items, including
batteries, that have required replacement.
Q6 After calibration, please confirm if the cameras are returned
with a shutter speed of two photographs at intervals of 0.5
seconds, and if your Camera Enforcement Officers make any
adjustments to the shutter speed or flash setting prior to
reinstallation and, if so, what are the setting adjustments?.
Q7.Regarding the secondary check viewing, please advise how the
viewing staff are trained for their task, who does the training,
are certificates of completion provided, and are the staff given
post training assessments or hard copy reference documentation. Is
the work of the viewing staff audited or reviewed at intervals?
Q8.For FPG please confirm the distance between the calibration
lines on the road which are part of the secondary check, so that
one can calculate the speed if five lines are passed.
Your request will now be considered and 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 South Yorkshire Police 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

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment
from you. If you choose not to make a payment then your request will
remain unanswered.

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.

Please Note *** Responses are published on South Yorkshire Police
disclosure log, which can be found at the following link:
http://www.southyorks.police.uk/foi/disc...

If you have any enquiries please contact the Information Compliance Unit.

Yours sincerely,

Information Compliance Clerk
Professional Standards Department
Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park
Churchill Way
Sheffield
S35 2PY

South Yorkshire Police provides you the right to request a re-examination
of your case under its review procedure (copy enclosed). If you decide to
request such a review and having followed the Constabulary***s full
process you are still dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your
comments to Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.
Email - [South Yorkshire Police request email]

Citizen Focus: Improving Satisfaction and Confidence is a Priority for the
Force

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want *** so
that we deliver what they need.

show quoted sections

South Yorkshire Police

Mr Fallon

We would like to make you aware that your request has been transferred to
South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, which is the relevant authority
for the subject matter of your request.

Yours sincerely

Information Compliance Clerk
South Yorkshire Police
Information Compliance Unit
Professional Standards Department
Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park
Churchill Way
Sheffield
S35 2PY

Email - [South Yorkshire Police request email]

Citizen Focus: Improving Satisfaction and Confidence is a Priority for the
Force

show quoted sections

South Yorkshire Police

26 August 2011

Dennis Fallon
What do they know

[FOI #84036 email]

Dear Mr Fallon

SYSCP Freedom of Information Request - Reference No: 20110048

Thank you for your request for information in relation to:

Q1. How many fixed post Gatso (FPG) and Gatso Red Light(GRL)
cameras were in use, on an annual basis, by your partnership in the
past three financial years?
Q2.For these cameras, for the past three financial years, what were
the total cost amounts paid(TCAP) for the annual calibration of
these cameras, identifying the TCAP to intermediate agents such as
Serco and the company Gatsometer B.V, and the additional amounts of
V.A.T added ?
Q3.Please confirm if the partnership have ownership of these
cameras, paid in full, or any other arrangement.
Q4.Please confirm if the calibration contracts (CC) have been
agreed for a fixed term with break penalty clauses or negotiated
annually, if the CC are inclusive of a greater contract regarding
maintenance, and who signed the contracts on behalf of the
partnership.
Q5.After the cameras have been returned following calibration
please confirm if, apart from the calibration certificate,
Gatsometer B.V provide a report on any faults detected and items
replaced and, if so, please identify the items, including
batteries, that have required replacement.
Q6 After calibration, please confirm if the cameras are returned
with a shutter speed of two photographs at intervals of 0.5
seconds, and if your Camera Enforcement Officers make any
adjustments to the shutter speed or flash setting prior to
reinstallation and, if so, what are the setting adjustments?.
Q7.Regarding the secondary check viewing, please advise how the
viewing staff are trained for their task, who does the training,
are certificates of completion provided, and are the staff given
post training assessments or hard copy reference documentation. Is
the work of the viewing staff audited or reviewed at intervals?
Q8.For FPG please confirm the distance between the calibration
lines on the road which are part of the secondary check, so that
one can calculate the speed if five lines are passed.
Your request will now be considered and 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 South Yorkshire Police 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

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment
from you. If you choose not to make a payment then your request will remain
unanswered.

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.

Information Compliance Clerk
South Yorkshire Police
Information Compliance Unit
Professional Standards Department
Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park
Churchill Way
Sheffield
S35 2PY

[email address]

Please note, Freedom of Information Requests are dealt with by the
Information Compliance Unit at South Yorkshire Police which is a separate
entity to the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership. Freedom of
Information requests are processed independently from any work carried out
by the Safety Camera Partnership.

If you have recently received a Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172
Notice from the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, you are required
by law to respond to this within 28 days. DO NOT delay responding to this
due to awaiting a response to a Freedom of Information request, as this may
result in a more severe punishment through prosecution for Failing to
Furnish Information and could result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Road Traffic Act 1988
Section 172 (2) Where the driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of
an offence to which this section applies -
(a) the person keeping the vehicle shall give such
information as to the identity of the driver as they may
be required to give by or on behalf of a chief officer of
police

(3) A person who fails to comply with the requirement of subsection
(2)(a) above is guilty of an offence unless he shows to the
satisfaction of the court that he did not know and could not with
reasonable diligence have ascertained who the drive of the vehicle
or, as the case may be, the rider of the cycle was.

South Yorkshire Police provides you the right to request a re-examination
of your case under its review procedure. If you decide to request such a
review and having followed the Constabulary’s full process you are still
dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your comments to
Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.
CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so that we deliver what they need.

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South Yorkshire Police

1 Attachment

 

16^th September 2011

 

Dennis Fallon

 

[FOI #84036 email]

 

Dear Mr Fallon

 

SYSCP Freedom of Information Request - Reference No: 20110048

 

Thank you for your request for information in relation to:

 

Q1. How many fixed post Gatso (FPG) and Gatso Red Light(GRL)

     cameras were in use, on an annual basis, by your partnership in the

     past three financial years?

     Q2.For these cameras, for the past three financial years, what were

     the total cost amounts paid(TCAP) for the annual calibration of

     these cameras, identifying the TCAP to intermediate agents such as

     Serco and the company Gatsometer B.V, and the additional amounts of

     V.A.T added ?

     Q3.Please confirm if the partnership have ownership of these

     cameras, paid in full, or any other arrangement.

     Q4.Please confirm if the calibration contracts (CC) have been

     agreed for a fixed term with break penalty clauses or negotiated

     annually, if the CC are inclusive of a greater contract regarding

     maintenance, and who signed the contracts on behalf of the

     partnership.

     Q5.After the cameras have been returned following calibration

     please confirm if, apart from the calibration certificate,

     Gatsometer B.V provide a report on any faults detected and items

     replaced and, if so, please identify the items, including

     batteries, that have required replacement.

     Q6 After calibration, please confirm if the cameras are returned

     with a shutter speed of two photographs at intervals of 0.5

     seconds, and if your Camera Enforcement Officers make any

     adjustments to the shutter speed or flash setting prior to

     reinstallation and, if so, what are the setting adjustments?.

     Q7.Regarding the secondary check viewing, please advise how the

     viewing staff are trained for their task, who does the training,

     are certificates of completion provided, and are the staff given

     post training assessments or hard copy reference documentation. Is

     the work of the viewing staff audited or reviewed at intervals?

     Q8.For FPG please confirm the distance between the calibration

     lines on the road which are part of the secondary check, so that

     one can calculate the speed if five lines are passed.

 

 

Response

 

Q1.  South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership (SYSCP) has interpreted
this request as how many cameras we have not how many housings, as
housings are not calibrated.  Please see the below table for a response:

 

 

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Number of Cameras | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 |
|----------------------+----------------+----------------+---------------|
|Gatso Speed Cameras | 14 | 10 | 8 |
|----------------------+----------------+----------------+---------------|
|Gatso Redlight Camera | 7 | 7 | 7 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

 

Q2. Below are the calibration costs (less VAT) for the camera numbers
shown above.  VAT is paid at the standard rates.

 

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Calibration Cost | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 |
|----------------------+----------------+----------------+---------------|
|Gatso Speed Cameras | £7,742.00 | £6,580.00 | £5,472.00 |
|----------------------+----------------+----------------+---------------|
|Gatso Redlight Camera | £3,010.00 | £3,689.00 | £3,836.00 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

 

Q3.  Cameras are owned by SYSCP.

 

Q4.  Serco are the UK agents for Gatso and as such deal with calibrations
and repairs.  SYSCP has no specific contract with Serco for calibrations.

 

Q5.  If there are any faults with the equipment it would not pass the
calibration, due to this we do not receive a fault report.

 

Q6.  In South Yorkshire the secondary check marks on the carriageway are
set to 5ft, so the interval is changed to 0.7 seconds.

 

Q7.  Each officer that "views" offences goes through a period of on the
job training with a senior member of staff. Certificates are not
issues.Their work is checked by their first line supervisor who dip
samples their work. Officers that deal with the actual cameras are trained
either by the camera manufacturer or by our own qualified instructor's.

 

Q8.  Please refer back to question 6.

 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can

request a review by following the advice contained in the separate notice
attached to this correspondence:

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,

Wilmslow,

Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Telephone: 08456 306060 or 01625 545745

Website: www.ico.gov.uk

There is no charge for making an appeal.

 

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Martha Robinson

Information Compliance Clerk

South Yorkshire Police

Information Compliance Unit

Professional Standards Department

Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park

Churchill Way

Sheffield

S35 2PY

 

Email - scp[1][email address]

 

 

Please note:  Freedom of Information Requests are dealt with by the
Information Compliance Unit at South Yorkshire Police which is a separate
entity to the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership.  Freedom of
Information requests are processed independently from any work carried out
by the Safety Camera Partnership.

 

If you have recently received a Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172
Notice from the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, you are
required by law to respond to this within 28 days.  DO NOT delay
responding to this due to awaiting a response to a Freedom of Information
request, as this may result in a more severe punishment through
prosecution for Failing to Furnish Information and could result in a fine
of up to £1,000.

 

Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 172:-

      (2) Where the driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of an
offence to which this section applies -  (a) the
                    person keeping the vehicle shall give such information
as to the identity of the driver as he may be required to give by or on
behalf of a chief officer of police

 

(3) A person who fails to comply with the requirement of subsection (2)(a)
above is guilty of an offence unless he shows to the satisfaction of the
court that he did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have
ascertained who the drive of the vehicle or, as the case may be, the rider
of the cycle was.

 

 

Please note that police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely
required to provide information and statistics to government bodies and
the recording criteria is set nationally.  However, the systems used for
recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used
locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted that for these reasons
this forces response to your questions should not be used for the
comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.

 

South Yorkshire Police provides you the right to request a re-examination
of your case under its review procedure (copy enclosed). If you decide to
request such a review and having followed the Constabulary’s full process
you are still dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your
comments to the Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.

 

The South Yorkshire Police in complying with their statutory duty under
sections 1 and 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the
enclosed information 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 The Force Solicitor, South Yorkshire
Police, Police Headquarters, Snig Hill, Sheffield, S3 8LY.

 

 

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so
that we deliver what they need.

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so
that we deliver what they need.

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so
that we deliver what they need.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Ms Robinson,
Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply, but subsequent to it there are some items that require clarification.
I am not sure as to whether you would class this as clarification of the original FOI or wish to treat it as a new request, but either way I would appreciate your help.

FYI I am not subject to a NIP but simply researching procedures and costs.

CLARIFICATION POINT ONE.
Using the data provided for Q1 and Q2 the cost of calibrating a single Camera ( total cost divided by number of cameras ) increased by unusually high amounts in 2009/ 2010.

The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Speed Cameras, was £553 in 2008/2009, then increased the next year by 19% to £658, then increased by 4% to £684.

The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Redlight Cameras, was £430 in 2008/2009, then increased the next year by 21% to £527, then increased by 4% to £548.

Please provide information as to why an additional £100 per camera was charged from 2009/2010 and subsequently, as costs imposed by a monopoly supplier should be explainable.

CLARIFICATION POINT TWO.
Your reply to Q5 is confusing,
Quote"If there are any faults with the equipment it would not pass the calibration, due to this we do not receive a fault report".
Please confirm that you are not told of any faults repaired, or clocks or batteries replaced, and simply receive the new calibration certificate.
If I leave my car in for MOT I get my certificate but am always told about any work done.

CLARIFICATION POINT THREE.
For Q6 I asked to know the shutter speed for the Gatso Speed camera after return from calibration, but this was not answered, Quote "..the secondary check marks on the carriageway are set to 5ft, so the interval is changed to 0.7 seconds.
Obviously the setting supplied after calibration is not suitable for your needs and is changed to 0.7 seconds, but I would appreciate knowing what is the setting supplied after calibration,who within S.Yorkshire police changes the setting to 0.7 secs, and why is the change deemed necessary.

Sorry about this need for further information but it only to appreciate the details more accurately.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours faithfully,

dennis fallon

South Yorkshire Police

21^st September 2011

 

Dennis Fallon

 

What do they know

 

[1][FOI #84036 email]

 

 

 

Dear Mr Fallon,

 

 

SYSCP Freedom of Information Request - Reference No: 20110053

 

Thank you for your request for information in relation to:

 

Dear Ms Robinson,

     Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply, but subsequent to it

     there are some items that require clarification.

     I am not sure as to whether you would class this as clarification

     of the original FOI or wish to treat it as a new request, but

     either way I would appreciate your help.

    

     FYI I am not subject to a NIP but simply researching procedures and

     costs.

    

     CLARIFICATION POINT ONE.

     Using the data provided for Q1 and Q2 the cost of calibrating a

     single Camera ( total cost divided by number of cameras ) increased

     by unusually high amounts in 2009/ 2010.

    

     The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Speed Cameras, was £553 in

     2008/2009, then increased the next year by 19% to £658, then

     increased by 4% to £684.

    

     The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Redlight Cameras, was £430 in

     2008/2009, then increased the next year by 21% to £527, then

     increased by 4% to £548.

    

     Please provide information as to why an additional £100 per camera

     was charged from 2009/2010 and subsequently, as costs imposed by a

     monopoly supplier should be explainable.

    

     CLARIFICATION POINT TWO.

     Your reply to Q5 is confusing,

     Quote"If there are any faults with the equipment it would not pass

     the calibration, due to this we do not receive a fault report".

     Please confirm that you are not told of any faults repaired, or

     clocks or batteries replaced, and simply receive the new

     calibration certificate.

     If I leave my car in for MOT I get my certificate but am always

     told about any work done.

    

     CLARIFICATION POINT THREE.

     For Q6 I asked to know the shutter speed for the Gatso Speed camera

     after return from calibration, but this was not answered, Quote

     "..the secondary check marks on the carriageway are set to 5ft, so

     the interval is changed to 0.7 seconds.

     Obviously the setting supplied after calibration is not suitable

     for your needs and is changed to 0.7 seconds, but I would

     appreciate knowing what is the setting supplied after

     calibration,who within S.Yorkshire police changes the setting to

     0.7 secs, and why is the change deemed necessary.

    

     Sorry about this need for further information but it only to

     appreciate the details more accurately.

 

 

Your request will now be considered and 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 South Yorkshire Police 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

 

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment
from you. If you choose not to make a payment then your request will
remain unanswered.

 

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.

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Collette Shelton

Freedom of Information Compliance Clerk

South Yorkshire Police
Information Compliance Unit
Professional Standards Department
Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park
Churchill Way
Sheffield
S35 2PY

 

 

[2][email address]

 

Please note, Freedom of Information Requests are dealt with by the
Information Compliance Unit at South Yorkshire Police which is a separate
entity to the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership.  Freedom of
Information requests are processed independently from any work carried out
by the Safety Camera Partnership.

 

If you have recently received a Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172
Notice from the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, you are
required by law to respond to this within 28 days.  DO NOT delay
responding to this due to awaiting a response to a Freedom of Information
request, as this may result in a more severe punishment through
prosecution for Failing to Furnish Information and could result in a fine
of up to £1,000.

 

Road Traffic Act 1988

Section 172  (2) Where the driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of
an offence to which this section applies -

(a) the person keeping the vehicle shall give such information as to the
identity of the driver as they may be required to give by or on behalf of
a chief officer of police

 

(3) A person who fails to comply with the requirement of subsection (2)(a)
above is guilty of an offence unless he shows to the satisfaction of the
court that he did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have
ascertained who the drive of the vehicle or, as the case may be, the rider
of the cycle was.

 

 

South Yorkshire Police provides you the right to request a re-examination
of your case under its review procedure. If you decide to request such a
review and having followed the Constabulary’s full process you are still
dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your comments to
Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.

 

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so
that we deliver what they need.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #84036 email]
2. mailto:[email address]

South Yorkshire Police

1 Attachment

 

4^th October 2011

 

Dennis Fallon

 

What Do They Know

 

[1][email address]

 

 

 

Dear Mr Fallon

 

SYSCP Freedom of Information Request - Reference No: 20110053

 

Thank you for your request for information in relation to:

 

Thank you for your prompt and helpful reply, but subsequent to it
    there are some items that require clarification.
    I am not sure as to whether you would class this as clarification
    of the original FOI or wish to treat it as a new request, but
    either way I would appreciate your help.
   
    FYI I am not subject to a NIP but simply researching procedures and
    costs.
   
    CLARIFICATION POINT ONE.
    Using the data provided for Q1 and Q2 the cost of calibrating a
    single Camera ( total cost divided by number of cameras ) increased
    by unusually high amounts in 2009/ 2010.
   
    The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Speed Cameras, was £553 in
    2008/2009, then increased the next year by 19% to £658, then
    increased by 4% to £684.
   
    The unit calibration cost, for Gatso Redlight Cameras, was £430 in
    2008/2009, then increased the next year by 21% to £527, then
    increased by 4% to £548.
   
    Please provide information as to why an additional £100 per camera
    was charged from 2009/2010 and subsequently, as costs imposed by a
    monopoly supplier should be explainable.
   
    CLARIFICATION POINT TWO.
    Your reply to Q5 is confusing,
    Quote"If there are any faults with the equipment it would not pass
    the calibration, due to this we do not receive a fault report".
    Please confirm that you are not told of any faults repaired, or
    clocks or batteries replaced, and simply receive the new
    calibration certificate.
    If I leave my car in for MOT I get my certificate but am always
    told about any work done.
   
    CLARIFICATION POINT THREE.
    For Q6 I asked to know the shutter speed for the Gatso Speed camera
    after return from calibration, but this was not answered, Quote
    "..the secondary check marks on the carriageway are set to 5ft, so
    the interval is changed to 0.7 seconds.
    Obviously the setting supplied after calibration is not suitable
    for your needs and is changed to 0.7 seconds, but I would
    appreciate knowing what is the setting supplied after
    calibration,who within S.Yorkshire police changes the setting to
    0.7 secs, and why is the change deemed necessary.

 

 

 

Response

 

Q1.

 

I must apologise for a mistake in the information previously provided for
the financial year 2008/2009. The costs of calibration for each of the
cameras should have read as follows:

 

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Calibration Costs (per camera) | 2008/09 |
|-----------------------------------------------+------------------------|
|Gatso Speed Camera | £609 |
|-----------------------------------------------+------------------------|
|Gatso Redlight Camera | £452 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

With regards the increases, in April 2009 a letter was received from Serco
explaining that they had borne the increased costs due to the fluctuations
with the Euro currency and that these were being passed on with effect
from 1^st May 2009. In April 2011 a letter was received from Serco
explaining that they had been absorbing a 5% price uplift from Gatsometer
since the start of the year and that from the start of May 2011 prices
would increase by 4%.

 

Q2.

 

A new calibration certificate is provided and much like an MOT, if any
work is carried out it is detailed in an invoice, however we do not
receive a fault report.

 

 

Q3.

 

The 5ft spacing is used in conjunction with 0.7 second intervals as this
equates to 4.87mph per secondary check mark. This simplifies the secondary
speed check performed by the viewing officer as they can assess a vehicles
speed based on 5 mph per check mark. The minor error that this
approximation introduces is within the 10% criterion of the Speedmeter
Handbook.
The equipment is returned set at 0.5 seconds and our officers make the
change prior to installing the camera.

 

 

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can

request a review by following the advice contained in the separate notice
attached to this correspondence:

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,

Wilmslow,

Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Telephone: 08456 306060 or 01625 545745

Website: www.ico.gov.uk

There is no charge for making an appeal.

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Martha Robinson

Information Compliance Clerk

South Yorkshire Police

Information Compliance Unit

Professional Standards Department

Unit 20 Sheffield 35A Business Park

Churchill Way

Sheffield

S35 2PY

 

Email - scp[2][email address]

 

 

Please note:  Freedom of Information Requests are dealt with by the
Information Compliance Unit at South Yorkshire Police which is a separate
entity to the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership.  Freedom of
Information requests are processed independently from any work carried out
by the Safety Camera Partnership.

 

If you have recently received a Notice of Intended Prosecution/Section 172
Notice from the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, you are
required by law to respond to this within 28 days.  DO NOT delay
responding to this due to awaiting a response to a Freedom of Information
request, as this may result in a more severe punishment through
prosecution for Failing to Furnish Information and could result in a fine
of up to £1,000.

 

Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 172:-

      (2) Where the driver of a vehicle is alleged to be guilty of an
offence to which this section applies -  (a) the
                    person keeping the vehicle shall give such information
as to the identity of the driver as he may be required to give by or on
behalf of a chief officer of police

 

(3) A person who fails to comply with the requirement of subsection (2)(a)
above is guilty of an offence unless he shows to the satisfaction of the
court that he did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have
ascertained who the drive of the vehicle or, as the case may be, the rider
of the cycle was.

 

 

Please note that police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely
required to provide information and statistics to government bodies and
the recording criteria is set nationally.  However, the systems used for
recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used
locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted that for these reasons
this forces response to your questions should not be used for the
comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.

 

South Yorkshire Police provides you the right to request a re-examination
of your case under its review procedure (copy enclosed). If you decide to
request such a review and having followed the Constabulary’s full process
you are still dissatisfied, then you have the right to direct your
comments to the Information Commissioner who will give it consideration.

 

The South Yorkshire Police in complying with their statutory duty under
sections 1 and 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the
enclosed information 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 The Force Solicitor, South Yorkshire
Police, Police Headquarters, Snig Hill, Sheffield, S3 8LY.

 

 

CITIZEN FOCUS: Our commitment is to understand what the public want – so
that we deliver what they need.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear Ms Robinson,

Thank you, and South Yorkshire Police, for your helpful and informative answers.

Yours faithfully,

dennis fallon