December 19, 2025 | Organisational Information and Performance , Policies
Request Number: FOI/16468
Category: Organisational Information & Performance - Policies
Subject: Speed enforcement policy
Request and Answer:
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken not to supply the information you have requested and the reasons for this are set out in more detail below. We have also provided you with links to guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office which we have followed in responding to your request.
Request 1
Please provide any policies, operational guidance, enforcement criteria, or internal documents held by your force that relate to speed-enforcement thresholds for fixed, mobile, or average-speed cameras.
Request 2
Specifically, please state whether your force adheres to the National Police Chiefs" Council (NPCC) speed-tolerance guidance (often described as "10% + 2 mph”) or any alternative thresholds used for the purpose of determining when enforcement action is initiated.
Request 3
If exact thresholds are not disclosed to the public for operational reasons, please confirm whether this information is held and, if so, whether the force follows NPCC guidance, uses a different internal tolerance, or enforces strictly at the posted speed limit
Answer
We can confirm that PSNI do adhere to the National Police Chiefs Council Guidance. However, as per the NPCC guidance, nothing restricts police forces from prosecuting for speeds falling below the thresholds. However, such decisions should be taken on a case-by-case basis with due regard to the individual circumstances of the offence and relevant signage and engineering in place at the time.
The guidance document relating to speed to speed-enforcement thresholds for fixed, mobile, or average-speed cameras is available publicly.
Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Police Service of Northern Ireland, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:
- states that fact,
- specifies the exemption in question and
- states (if not otherwise apparent) why the exemption applies.
The following exemption has been applied:
Section 21 - Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means
Please follow the link below to the speed enforcement guidance employed by the PSNI:
https://library.college.police.uk/docs/NPCC/Speed-enforcement-disposal-guidance-2025.pdf
The full text of exemptions can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk and further guidance on how they operate can be located on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk.