Contesting a speeding ticket (UK)

If intending to challenge a speeding ticket, you must return the complete section 172 notice (Notice of Intended Prosecution) within 28 days. There are numerous reasons why you may have a case for not paying the fine that has been awarded. This includes:

If you were not actually speeding when the offense was alleged to have been committed
If you were not the driver when the speeding offense was committed
The notification of the speed limit on the road where the offense was committed was not clear enough
The vehicle caught speeding was not your own

Having returned the section 172 notice within 28 days, you may receive a Conditional Offer of a Fixed Penalty. If not, you will be prosecuted straight away. This usually offers a £60 fine and a deduction of three penalty points from your licence. Once this is received, you will either have to pay the fine ordered or formally contest the offense, which will involve going to court. Before taking such action, experienced legal advice should be taken, to assess the chance of you winning the case and avoiding the fine and what would result if the case is lost.

Before the court hearing, if taken, you can request the police's evidence for the prosecution, which can be useful as a reminder of who was driving and can help back up any claims that the wrong vehicle was registered or that the speed was measured incorrectly. This should then form the basis of your own or your lawyer's fight against the speeding ticket being issued.

During the court hearing, your defense should seek to prove that you were either not the driver of the vehicle in question, or that you were not breaking the speed limit, for whatever reason.

If successful, no further action will be taken and the fine will be removed. If unsuccessful, it is worth noting that the fine and driving licence penalty awarded can be significantly higher.