The Department for Transport confirmed they would like to see the use of in-car speed camera spotters (radar detectors) banned - huge opposition is likely to take the government by surprise.
These devices detect speed cameras by picking up their frequency and allow drivers to slow down. Motorists who use such devices avoid speeding fines, points and reduce the possibility of losing their driving licence. According to statistics claimed by one supplier, users of radar detectors are now costing the government up to 30 million pounds a year in lost speeding fine revenue.
The UK supplier of the Quintezz radar detector has carried out a study that contains damming evidence to prove government policy on speed cameras is clearly greed for money - and not road safety.
Government plans to try to ban radar detectors came to light soon after Car Parts Direct, the supplier of the Quintezz Radar detector ran a controversial advertising campaign. In the advert Car Parts Direct guaranteed to pay the cost of a motorist's fine if the driver received a speeding ticket while their radar detector was fitted.
The advertisement used a picture of a policeman holding a speed laser gun. The policeman was depicted as the Devil - complete with horns. The advert caused outrage amongst the police and senior officials at the Department for Transport. Car Parts Direct claims to have been targeted in a retribution campaign headed by senior government officials.
Mark Cornwall of Car Parts Direct said, "We have a product that not only saves on speeding fines, points on the licences but saves lives too - and we have huge evidence to support our claim. The government has found a soft target in the motorist and has made it clear it is going to continue to screw them for all it can. We will be bringing the speed camera issue all the way to the European Court and our evidence shows we have full support of the motorist. If speed cameras are here to stay - so are radar detectors," said Cornwall.
The good news for the radar detector supplier and thousands of motorists is that the devices are still legal to buy and use in the UK. The government lost a court case in 1998 to make radar detectors illegal - Cornwall is confident that the government will lose again.
In any event, new legislation would take up to two years to complete. During this time around six million speeding fines will be issued and tens of thousands of motorists will lose their driving licences, their jobs and incomes - that is unless they have a radar detector fitted.
