Road Traffic Pricing

Road Traffic

Motoring offences means summary only offences under Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and/or s89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Broadly, this means offences such as speeding or drink driving which are dealt with solely in the magistrate’s court. These offences result in mandatory sentences (such as disqualification). If you are pleading guilty; the matter is dealt with at the first court appearance.

Example Cases

Example of a low cost hearing

If you plead guilty and the case is dealt with in one hearing without the need for an expert report or defence witness then the total time spent on the case is likely to be 3.5 hours including the preparation, correspondence and attendance at the hearing. This would be £1032.00 + VAT of £207.00, making a total of £1239.00 with a solicitor’s hourly rate of £295.00 + VAT.

Example of a medium cost hearing

If you plead guilty but the case is adjourned for some reason, for example the preparation of a report by the Probation service, then your costs are likely to rise to 6 hours allowing for the preparation, correspondence and our attendance at two hearings. This would be £1770.00 + VAT of £354.00, making a total of £2124.00 with a solicitor’s hourly rate of £295.00 + VAT.

Example of a high cost hearing

If you plead not guilty then there is always more preparation time and there can be things such as expert reports (see table below) and defence witnesses who need to be interviewed and then called to give evidence. There will be more than one hearing as you attend to enter you not guilty plea and then on a separate day for trial. If you are convicted the sentence could be adjourned again for a third hearing. The case will last longer meaning there is more correspondence. The total time spent is likely to be in the region of 15 hours which would be £4,425 + VAT of £885.00, making a total of £5310.00, with a solicitor’s hourly rate of £295.00 + VAT.

Steps in the case

Your case is likely to follow similar steps to this:

You are arrested and taken to the police station
You ask for your solicitor and the police will ring us
If you have no solicitor, the police will ring the duty solicitor and we are on the duty rota
We will attend the police station and advise you (this is covered by the legal aid scheme so you not will to have to pay for this)
If you admit the offence, you will be charged and usually released
You will be notified of the date of the court hearing
We may need to take further instructions from you
We attend the court hearing with you and speak on your behalf. If you are pleading guilty, we will be making representations as to the sentencing options
The court will make a sentencing decision
We will write to you to confirm the sentence and what you have to do

Additional Payments / Costs

	Cost	VAT	Total
Asking a barrister (counsel) for an opinion	£500- £1500	£100- £300	£600- £1800
Medical opinion (such as on an alcohol reading)	£200- £1000	£40- £200	£240- £1200
Forensic analysis	£1000- £3000	£200- £600	£1200- £3600
Contribution towards prosecution costs for a guilty plea	£85	No VAT	£85
Contribution towards prosecution costs after trial	£685	No VAT	£685
Victim compensation contribution	£85	No VAT	£85

Timescales

Usually, your case is expected to conclude within three months if you plead not guilty. However, in our experience, it can take as long as 8 months. If you enter a guilty plea, it is likely to conclude at the first hearing. We cannot guarantee these time scales as there are many factors which can affect the way the case progresses but these are an estimate to help you plan at least at this stage.

Factors that increase your costs

Whether you wish to plead guilty or contest the matter at trial
Whether you need a defence witness to give evidence at the hearing
Whether you need an expert opinion as this will be an additional disbursement but also require additional preparation time for your lawyer
Whether you are facing multiple offences

Road Traffic Fixed Fee

We offer a 1.5 hour Fixed Fee for £350 + VAT. This can include a face to face appointment, considering any paperwork, DVLA Letters or Court Summons and a follow up letter of advice after the appointment. It would not cover the hearing itself.

Hourly Rates for our Team

The firm’s charges are calculated mainly by reference to the amount of time that is spent on a matter. The Firm’s rates are reviewed annually and we shall inform you promptly of any change. Ordinary letters out and telephone calls are charged at six minute units where the time spent does not exceed this.

The hourly rates and unit charges for members of the Road Traffic Department are:

Chloe Jay Partner, Head of Contentious Law	£330 per hour + VAT (£66) – total of £396	£33 per unit + VAT of £6.60 = £39.60
Harriet Parker Partner, Head of Department	£300 per hour + VAT (£60) – total of £360	£30 per unit + VAT of £6 = £36
Alex Chessum Solicitor Advocate	£295 per hour + VAT (£59) – total of £354	£29.50 per unit + VAT of £5.90 = £35.40
Felicity Joslin Solicitor	£245 per hour + VAT (£49) – total of £294	£24.50 per unit + VAT of £4.90 = £29.40
Rachel Coombes Solicitor	£200 per hour + VAT (£40) – total of £240	£20 per unit + VAT of £4 = £24
Rowanne Gillespie Police Station Representative	£195 per hour + VAT (£39) – total of £234	£19.50 per unit + VAT of £3.90 = £23.40
Shae Brown Road Traffic Secretary	£100 per hour + VAT (£20) – total of £120	£10 per unit + VAT of £2 = £12.00

VAT: please note that all the above will be charged to you with the addition of VAT at the current rate (to meet HMRC re-charge requirements)

Where a matter is dealt with by a legal secretary or non-fee earner to progress it a charge of £100.00 per hour will be made.

These rates reflect the many overheads which, of necessity, a firm of solicitors must incur to run its business.

Road Traffic

Road Traffic Solicitors Winchester