FOI 889-2023 / Sept 2023 / Middle lane
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: FOI-889-2023
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 27th September 2023 as follows:
1 - How many drivers have been pulled over for 'middle lane hogging' in your force area, broken down by year for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date?
2 - How many drivers have been penalised (e.g. issued a fine and/or points) for 'middle lane hogging' in your force area, broken down by year for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date?
3 - The total number of drivers caught/penalised for careless driving in your force area broken down by year for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date?
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that the requested information is not centrally recorded and is not available in a readily retrievable format. ‘Middle lane hogging’ is not recorded under an offence of its own, but rather, it is recorded under one of the following two offence codes:
RT88575 - Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road / in a public place without due care and attention)
RT88576 - (Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road / in a public place without reasonable consideration to other users)
During the period 2019 to 30th September 2023 there have been a total of 1580 offences under the above codes and, in order to determine which offences relate to middle lane hogging, it would be necessary to review each and every offence on an individual basis. Such searches would exceed 18 hours of work and therefore is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with s12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this part of the request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request; however, due to the amount of records which would need to be examined, I am unable to suggest a way to revise your request into one which could be managed within the fees limit.
Outside of the Act and as a gesture of goodwill I have provided information in relation to the number of offences recorded each year under the above mentioned codes. This should not be taken as a precedent that additional information would be supplied outside of the time/fees legislation for any subsequent requests.
|
Year |
Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road / in a public place without due care and attention |
Drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road / in a public place without reasonable consideration to other users |
Total |
|
2019 |
236 |
3 |
239 |
|
2020 |
211 |
6 |
217 |
|
2021 |
299 |
11 |
310 |
|
2022 |
396 |
1 |
397 |
|
2023 |
415 |
2 |
417 |
|
Grand Total |
1557 |
23 |
1580 |
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB