| 23/11/2005
- The Environment Agency has prosecuted three men from Sussex
today (23 November 2005) after they were caught speeding
separately on the River Arun. All
three pleaded guilty to the offences committed this summer
and were fined by Chichester Magistrates. Mr Matthew Brady
of Hove was fined £500, Mr Stuart Wright of Worthing
was fined £120 and Mr Paul Turner of Bognor Regis
was ordered to pay £100. All three also paid £95
each in costs.
The Environment Agency carries out
patrols using radar guns to catch speeding boats on the
River Arun during summer months. Under the Land Drainage
and Sea Defence bylaws, enforced by the Environment Agency,
it is an offence to exceed the speed restriction. Speed
limits are clearly sign posted on the River Arun and vary
between five and a half knots and six and a half knots.
The Court heard how, on Saturday 20
August 2005, an Environment Agency Officer was carrying
out speed checks on the River Arun at Ford Prison with
an electronic radar. The officer caught Mr Brady travelling
in a vessel at 30 knots, well in excess of the 6.5knots
(7.2mph) limit imposed on that stretch of river. The level
of fine reflected the fact that Mr Brady was over four
times the speed limit.
Mr Wright was caught speeding on Sunday
21 August 2005 where he was recorded to be travelling
at 15 knots in a 6.5 knots zone. He claimed that he thought
the speed limit was 10 knots and that he was travelling
at that speed.
Mr Turner was caught travelling at
14 knots in the 6.5 knots zone on Sunday 21 August 2005,
and he apologised to the officer for speeding.
Andrew Gilham, Sussex Area Flood Defence
Manager for the Environment Agency, said: "We are
pleased that the Magistrates have taken this matter seriously
as it is extremely irresponsible to exceed speed limits
that are in place on the River Arun.
"Not only can speeding boats
put other boat users, fishermen and wildlife at risk,
the wash created by speeding craft can also cause significant
erosion damage to tidal defences which protect the lower
Arun valley from major flooding.
"Speed limits are clearly sign
posted along the river so there is no excuse for exceeding
them. We hope these prosecutions are a lesson to others
that we will not tolerate waterways speeders on the River
Arun." |
