Legal delays for UK link-up

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen has blamed legal difficulties with his British counterparts for delays in implementing a system for the mutual recognition of penalty points, which has seen more than 100,000 offenders escape punishment.

Transport experts have frequently expressed concern that the effectiveness of road safety campaigns has been undermined by the inability of authorities on both sides of the Border to impose penalty points on foreign drivers.

Penalty points have not been imposed for more than 75,000 speeding offences to date because the driver did not hold an Irish licence.

Almost 100,000 motorists have escaped both fines and penalty points.

Speaking at the launch of a new cross-border road safety campaign in Dublin yesterday, Mr Cullen said the legislative basis for the mutual recognition of Irish and British penalty points was ready from the Government’s point of view.

However, the minister admitted difficulties remained with the British authorities because there were different points systems operating in Northern Ireland and Britain.