Traffic Fines – Don’t get arrested

The City is cautioning motorists against an increase in warrants of arrest for failure to appear in court for traffic fines. Some motorists don’t understand the difference between the types of fines issued and run the risk of being arrested for unpaid traffic fines.

There two types of fines generally issued – the Section 341 notice and the Section 56 notice.

With a Section 341 notice you will receive your fine in the post.  If the fine is not paid, a summons follows with a date to appear in court. Section 341’s are issued for offences like camera fines and parking tickets.

Section 56 notices are issued where an enforcement officer physically stops the motorist and issues the fine. If not paid this fine is an automatic written notice to appear in court on the date stipulated on the fine. You do not receive notices in the post for Section 56 notices.

‘This is where things have come unstuck, unfortunately. Some motorists are under the misguided impression that they’ll receive a follow up notice in the post and when that doesn’t arrive, they happily carry on with business as usual – until they are stopped at a roadblock or by a member of our roving Automated Number Plate Recognition Unit and discover that there is a warrant out for their arrest. Not only is there the very real risk of arrest and time in a holding cell, but it also means that we are dealing with a pile of warrants that could have been avoided if only the motorist realised that the physical fine that was issued was, in fact, their notice to pay.’ says the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.