No escape for drivers across the border

The CCPD (Centro di Cooperazione Polizia e Dogana, cross-border police and customs control body) at Ventimiglia in Italy and the CSA (French speed camera control centre) in Rennes have been in cohoots since August 2009. To date over 4,000 drivers have received letters, written in Italian, from Rennes demanding them to pay a speeding fine in Italy. Over 50% are reported to have paid up, knowing that their offence remains on record and they risk having their car clamped and a fine of 750 euros if they are stopped for any reason again in France.

For the trial, the CSA has set up a desk in the CCPD offices at Ventimiglia where their personnel separate out the Italian registered name-plates caught on camera. The CCPD police officers then identify the drivers and give Rennes the address details.

For the moment the system only targets those doing more than 20 km over the speed limit and they are not able to implement a points penalty on the licence. A European measure allows for agreements like this to be made between countries, although it means offenders pay the fine in their own country.

On a wider scale, many believe that the new European Presidency is more motivated to address this issue and to find ways of making foreign-registered drivers more accountable for their misdemeanours in the interests of road safety. CL