There’s not a lot to thank striking postal workers for but there’s always an exception…

Lord Justice Elias has quashed the conviction of a speeding driver in the High Court because a statutory police letter failed to arrive within the 14-day legal deadline. Thousands like him could avoid a fine and three points on their licence as the backlog of post continues to suffer long delays.

Although upstanding citizens generally like to see the laws of the land adhered to, most motorists take a more subjective view on speeding offences. According to official figures, 1.46m speeding tickets were issued in England and Wales during 2007 with a typical penalty of £60. That equates to around £87m. It’s this revenue-raising aspect that makes drivers suspicious of the underlying purpose behind the Gatso’s proliferation. And might leave stung motorists feeling like a point has been scored on their behalf.

We wouldn’t recommend a bout of looney driving during the postal delays though.

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