Police too quick to cash in on speeding, says tourist

An English tourist says his wonderful stay in New Zealand was tainted by "overzealous" police who fined him twice for the same speeding offence.

Frank Baynham and his wife, from Gloucestershire, were travelling by car to the West Coast's famous Pancake Rocks in December when they were stopped by police in Hokitika.

Mr Baynham was issued a $120 ticket for speeding, which he paid within an hour.

However he was surprised to also receive a speed camera notice informing him he owed another fine for speeding just eight minutes earlier on the same Hokitika street.

"I cannot believe that it is your New Zealand police policy to seek to maximise their income in this way as it would seem somewhat counter-productive in terms of fostering good relations between the police and the public, and indeed promoting New Zealand as a fair and decent place to choose to visit," Mr Baynham said.

"I have no problem with the observations regarding my speed which were fairly consistent on both occasions, 65 km/h ... and 68 km/h on the subsequent occasion, but it is unlikely that it would have taken me eight minutes to drive the distance between the two speed traps if this were in fact the case.

"It is more likely that the traffic policemen spent the eight minutes discussing my offence before writing the ticket and entering the time."

Mr Baynham wrote to police, who refused to waive the second fine.

However after the Herald contacted police this week about Mr Baynham's complaint, police decided to withdraw the second speeding fine, saying the constable may have written down the wrong time.

Mr Baynham said he still regarded New Zealand highly.

"Since our return we have had no hesitation in recommending your country as a must-see destination," he said.