lagistrates fear postal
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Iriving ban will be unfair
by Cliff Caswell aft plans to allow the courts disqualify drivers by post if Dy clock up enough penalty lints to lose their licences ve come under fire from both ajar trade associations and a magistrates themselves. They believe the move, in the lad Traffic Penalties Consultor Paper, would not give drirs an adequate right of reply d would undermine the serisness of a ban.
At present, if a driver clocks • 12 penalty points he is sumred to appear before the urt and disqualified for at ist six months.
Geoff Dossetter, head of ternal affairs at the Freight ansport Association, believes a idea of a postal ban is unfair professional drivers. "For them a disqualification is a highly serious matter," he adds. "it can take livelihoods away. "If a disqualification is to be made, it is something that has to be done in person."
The Magistrates' Association is also concerned. Although drivers would have the option to appear before a court if they wished, JPs fear that banning by post means they would not be able to hear miti
gating circumstances or aggravating features when considering a case.
A spokeswoman points out: "People do not always realise how serious it is to be banned from driving. We do not think these proposals are a good idea. If you are driving while you are disqualified, you are driving without insurance."
The Home Office stresses that these proposals have not been finalised; a spokesman says: They have only been put out for consultation."