Walter Finch
GIBRALTAR drivers nipping across the border to Spain have racked up nearly 3,000 unpaid traffic fines – the majority for speeding.
With a population of just 32,000 citizens, it accounts for almost one in ten Gibraltarians owing money to Spanish authorities.
According to newly released figures, around 2,000 are for speeding, and the total value of the unpaid fines is likely to run into the hundreds of thousands of euros.
Despite a recent agreement between Spain and the UK to enhance the sharing of traffic information, Spanish authorities are struggling to collect these fines.
Gibraltarian drivers pay fines in Spain on the spot if caught by police committing an offence, such as speeding.
But those captured by traffic cameras tend to get away with it, as letters cannot be sent to their homes across the border.
A further barrier to collecting the fines is due to the fact that Gibraltar residents have foreign bank accounts which can’t be accessed by Spanish debt chasers. It means that they effectively get away scott free.
But the problem goes two ways. The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) similarly lack access to Spanish driver data, making it impossible for them to issue fines to Spaniards who break traffic rules on the Rock.
An agreement signed between Spain and the UK in March 2023 allowed both nations to share information on drivers and vehicles.
It was intended to crack down on traffic violations such as speeding, failure to wear seat belts, and drink or drug driving.
But as of now, bank issues mean that drivers are getting away without paying their fines.
