New regulations set to come into force later this month will see motorists forced to cough up court costs - even if they're found not guilty or acquitted of motoring offences.

The government-inspired change to the current set-up - where drivers get costs refunded if they're innocent - is being implemented to save cash, in spite of fierce opposition from legal and motoring groups who were nominally 'consulted' before the new policy was drawn up.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the age old principle of 'the loser pays' has been costing the government too much money. As a result the new rules make it clear that in future drivers will have to foot the bill for clearing their name. According to The Taxpayers Alliance, that equates to 400,000 people, or one in four of those who challenge a ticket.

Now the Conservative party has joined the last ditch effort to derail the changes, and campaigners are looking for more signatories to a petition on the Number 10 website. We're off to go and sign the petition ourselves, and you can find out more by reading the press release below, that was issued by the Association of Motor Offence Lawyers today.

YOU CAN SIGN THE PETITION HERE

Done

+1

Done++;

Done.

Its currently circulating among the staff in the Treasury

Signed

Signed, for all the good these things do.

Signed.


Tell you what, how about not prosecuting so many people for motoring offences they're not guilty of then?

Jon

ditto

If they are bothered about the costs, then increase the court costs of those that lose. Make it £500 rather than £100. No need to penalise the innocent.

Signed

Done.

I assume the govermnent will give up trying to be subtle and just start charging a "Court Tax"

That has to be against the law. You simply can't go around threatening innocent people unless they hand over cash; it's extortion!

It's bad enough that the law is already biased heavily towards those wealthy enough to pay more than your average person, but this totally undermines the entire legal process.

Signed!!