A DEDICATED court dealing with traffic offences committed in Dorset is now up and running in Weymouth.

Weymouth Magistrates Court is one of the areas selected by the government to host a ‘traffic court’ dealing with low-level offences such as speeding, traffic-light and document offences.

All police force areas around the country should have a dedicated traffic court within the next six months, Justice Minister Damian Green said.

He added: “The safety of the general public is paramount, and we take road safety very seriously, which is why we have recently increased the sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving to five years imprisonment. However, low-level traffic offences such as speeding can take up to six months from offence to completion which is a huge drain on the smooth running of the criminal justice system, and takes focus away from more serious offences. This is simply unacceptable.

“We want all areas to have a dedicated traffic court, and we are on track to reach this target.

“Traffic courts from West Yorkshire to Sussex have shown how effective and efficient this process can be.”

In a traditional court sitting an average of 35 cases may be listed in a day, which could include traffic cases alongside other types of cases such as assault, shop-lifting, and domestic cases among others. A dedicated traffic court, reduces unnecessary delays and allows local magistrates’ courts to focus on more serious offences.