MLC Frank Pangallo tells Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to ‘do the right thing’ in SE Freeway fine controversy
Police have raked in millions of dollars in fines in controversial campaign targeting buses and trucks. But the pressure to give the money back is ramping up.
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Pressure is growing on the South Australian Police Commissioner to intervene in a controversial fines saga that has generated hundreds of motorist complaints.
In December The Advertiser revealed laws aimed at cracking down on speeding buses and trucks from Crafers into Adelaide would be wound back after the State Government acknowledged they were too harsh.
Police had issued more than $3.3 million of fines in two months as part of a crackdown on speeding bus and trucks on the road.
SA-BEST MLC Frank Pangallo has urged Police Commissioner, Grant Stevens, to “do the right thing” and retrospectively withdraw unpaid speeding fines and reverse automatic licence disqualifications.
Police have previously dismissed similar calls.
But Mr Stevens is now investigating if he may be able to use discretionary powers to do so.
“We are still waiting for legal advice regarding discretionary powers re: speeding fines,” a spokeswoman said in a statement yesterday.
Truck and bus drivers caught exceeding the 60km/h speed limit on that section of road had faced fines of $1036, a loss of six demerit points and an automatic six-month licence disqualification for a first offence.
But lawyers had been contacted by hundreds of fined motorists – many who believed the vehicles they were driving were smaller than a bus or truck as defined by the law.
Para Hills West business owner Brent Boardman had his fine reversed after his Ford F-350 was incorrectly registered in WA as a truck and his wife paid the fine not knowing there would be a disqualification.