The fastest tractor in the west
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 3:01 pmSpeed camera bosses have apologised to a farmer after they tried to fine him for doing 85 miles per hour in a tractor.
Steve Crossman, who farms in Wiltshire, was puzzled when he received a ticket saying he had been snapped by a camera in Wales.
But he was even more surprised when he realised that he was being fined for speeding in his tractor.
With a top speed of 26 miles per hour it would take Mr Crossman's tractor more than four hours just to cover the distance from his farm in Horningsham to Abergarwed, south Wales where the offence took place.
The farmer contacted camera bosses in south Wales to protest that not only was the tractor incapable of racking up such a speed but he had never taken it over the Severn Bridge.
The Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership quickly admitted that they had misread one letter in the registration plate on the film and had got the wrong vehicle.
They apologised and immediately retracted the ticket.
Mr Crossman told BBC Wales: "It's a good tractor, but not that good. It can just about get up to 26mph, but that's downhill, with a following wind and with no trailer on the back. There's no way it could get close to 85mph."
Now the driver of the car that was actually clocked on the A465 near Neath will escape prosecution because it is too late to issue another ticket.
A speed camera partnership spokeswoman said that the mistake was being investigated.
Steve Crossman, who farms in Wiltshire, was puzzled when he received a ticket saying he had been snapped by a camera in Wales.
But he was even more surprised when he realised that he was being fined for speeding in his tractor.
With a top speed of 26 miles per hour it would take Mr Crossman's tractor more than four hours just to cover the distance from his farm in Horningsham to Abergarwed, south Wales where the offence took place.
The farmer contacted camera bosses in south Wales to protest that not only was the tractor incapable of racking up such a speed but he had never taken it over the Severn Bridge.
The Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership quickly admitted that they had misread one letter in the registration plate on the film and had got the wrong vehicle.
They apologised and immediately retracted the ticket.
Mr Crossman told BBC Wales: "It's a good tractor, but not that good. It can just about get up to 26mph, but that's downhill, with a following wind and with no trailer on the back. There's no way it could get close to 85mph."
Now the driver of the car that was actually clocked on the A465 near Neath will escape prosecution because it is too late to issue another ticket.
A speed camera partnership spokeswoman said that the mistake was being investigated.
