The Speed Camera Partnership for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight admit that 270 innocent UK motorists were issued speed camera tickets on the A27 near Fareham College since March 29. The £60 (US $114) tickets were given for driving above 30 MPH, even though the speed limit had been raised to 40 MPH. Speed camera operators did not bother updating the camera after the change.

"This is a regrettable mistake and as soon as we became aware of it we canceled all relevant tickets and apologized to the drivers concerned," Partnership Project Manager Marion Sinclair told the Portsmouth News.

Half of the ticket recipients went ahead and paid the bogus fines without challenge. The camera partnership did not recognize its serious mistake until Gwnneth Lester, 57, challenged her ticket. She spent months fighting the bogus charge because she wanted to keep her perfect driving record intact.