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Speeding 'Godfather' Brunstrom Quits

Controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom is standing down from his role as Britain's most senior traffic officer.

Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales Police is leaving his position as head of roads policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

A spokeswoman for ACPO confirmed that Mr Brunstrom would step down after completing his three year term in the job.

Mr Brunstrom has caused controversy with his tough anti-speeding policy. In the past he has branded speeders "criminals" as well as backing the prosecution of a paramedic caught speeding in an ambulance.

In March of 2004 he was branded "the godfather of the speed camera" by Police magazine, the official publication of the Police Federation.

Brunstrom Replacement Has Speeding Past

The police chief who will replace Richard Brunstrom as Britain's most senior traffic policeman, has a rather surprising driving record, having twice been caught speeding.

Many expecting him to take a more lenient view of speed camera policy than his predecessor Richard Brunstrom - nicknamed the "Traffic Taliban", they are likely to be disappointed. Despite his own indiscretions, which resulted in two £60 fines and six penalty points on his driving licence, Hughes has claimed that all speed cameras should be hidden and mobile.

Hughes, who will take over as head of roads policing at the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), was first photographed by a fixed camera on the A61 as he drove to work in Sheffield at around 6am. Months later Hughes, was clocked by a mobile unit during a private trip to visit relatives in south Wales. It is not known how fast he was travelling on either occasion.

After the disclosure last year Hughes, 47, said: "At least you can't call me a hypocrite. If I had my way, all cameras would be completely hidden and mobile. If we are serious about speed cameras, we will have to think about that." Hughes has previously conceded that the spread of speed cameras has dented the public's faith in road policing and he has called for the introduction of variable speed limits as a means of restoring trust. Hughes told a Police Federation conference last year: "I think we have lost the PR battle at this time and we shouldn't have."

He claimed that technology should allow road signs to vary the speed limit if driving conditions were appropriate. He suggested "to not just 70, 60 or 50, but something more". He also pointed out that it made little sense for the same limit to apply at 2am on a Sunday on a deserted motorway as it did during a weekday rush hour.

He is also an advocate of speed awareness courses, which motorists can attend as an alternative to receiving penalty points on their licences.

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