LEGAL experts in Swindon have damned a change in the law that, from April, will see drivers receiving tougher punishments for being caught speeding.

Under the changes, motorists could be fined up to 150 per cent of their weekly income for the most serious speeding offences. This is up from the current level of 100 per cent.

It will likely affect those who are caught driving at 101mph or faster on a motorway, or when their recorded speed in a 30mph zone is more than 50mph. A driver caught doing 41mph in a 20mph zone could also be ordered to pay the increased fine.

The Sentencing Council, which is imposing the new guidelines, says it wants to see a “clear increase in penalty” as the severity of the crimes increase.

It will mean more motorists found guilty of speeding have to pay the maximum £2,500 fine.

Francis George, senior partner at Francis George Solicitor-Advocate in Old Town, said: “The police have always allowed for a certain margin of error. If you go two or three mph over the limit, that is taken into account. It could be that your dial is showing 70mph and the police’s device is showing 73. As long as you were driving safely, you wouldn’t get stopped.

“This policy appears to suggest that even though there is no danger and you are two miles over the limit, you still run the risk of being caught. Are they saying that, as a result, the roads will be safer?

“I think it’s a headline they are trying to grab without thinking about what it will achieve. It seems to be fixing something that doesn’t need to be fixed.”

Speeding is just one of a number of areas covered in new sentencing guidelines for magistrates’ courts in England and Wales being published on Tuesday.

As a result, Mr George thought that solicitors could expect their workloads to increase. He said: “It will be worthwhile going to the expense of getting a solicitor to keep you driving because of the impact that losing your license could have on your life.”

However, bodies such as the RAC have welcomed the changes.

The RAC’s road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “Anyone who breaks the limit excessively is a danger to every other road user and is unnecessarily putting lives at risk. Hopefully hitting these offenders harder in the pocket will make them think twice before doing it again in the future.”

Magistrates are advised to take into account the weather conditions when sentencing.