AN estimated 2,500 drivers who were wrongly fined and given penalty points when a speed camera was placed in the wrong position are not being told of the error.

The drivers, who collectively paid £150,000 in fines, were photographed on the M4 near Newport in South Wales. The camera was to monitor vehicles passing roadworks with a 50mph limit. Instead, it was placed 200 metres past the speed restriction and drivers who were legally accelerating up to 70mph were caught.

Despite admitting to the mistake, the Safety Camera Partnership, which is run by three police forces in Wales, said yesterday that there would be no blanket amnesty and that drivers would have to appeal individually to have the fine and penalty points rescinded.

Ten drivers have so far appealed to magistrates to overturn their penalties and all have won their case.

Steve Smallcombe, 40, a lorry driver, had his £60 speeding ticket cancelled when he noticed the blunder. “It’s a scandal that motorists were targeted in this way,” he said. “Police forces are making enough out of speeding fines throughout the country without them making mistakes like this.”

Mr Smallcombe, of Blaen- avon, Gwent, was sure that he was not speeding as he left the roadworks in his job driving for a supermarket chain. “I was shocked when the speeding ticket arrived,” he said. “An extra three points could cost someone their licence and I didn’t want any on mine. It’s outrageous that police aren’t telling everyone that they’ve been wrongly caught.”

The temporary camera photographed vehicles from July of last year until last month before police realised that a mistake had been made. A Welsh Assembly spokesman said that there had been a problem at junction 24, known as the Coldra roundabout. He said: “There was some confusion regarding the end point of the 50mph speed limit at the finish of the roadworks.”

John Rowling, project manager with Safety Camera Partnership, said: “We have received a number of representations from motorists. Those recorded in the vicinity of the end of roadworks sign have been given dispensation.

“Any motorists who have any concern regarding their penalty on this occasion are advised to write to us and we will consider their case individually.”

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