Coatbridge sits a couple of miles from the court that hears its cases, and the M8 runs along the top of the town. That combination produces a steady flow of motoring prosecutions and very little delay before they call. Most of them begin on a stretch of road people drive every day without thinking about it — the motorway junctions between Baillieston and Newhouse, the old A8 through Bargeddie, the expressway running south. The fine is rarely the real problem. Penalty points, the premium that follows and a disqualification that ends the commute are. Charles Ferguson Solicitors defend motoring charges throughout the Monklands from our Hamilton office at 1 Barrack Street, ML3 0DG. Call 01698 285 885.
Airdrie Sheriff Court — Road Traffic Cases
Motoring prosecutions arising in Coatbridge are dealt with at Airdrie Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, Sheriff Court House, Graham Street, Airdrie ML6 6EE, in the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway. Routine summary business — speeding, careless driving, insurance and licence offences — is generally taken in the Justice of the Peace Court, while drink driving, dangerous driving and cases prosecuted on indictment call before a sheriff. Where a collision has caused a death, the charge of causing death by dangerous driving is prosecuted in the High Court of Justiciary. Airdrie is close enough to Coatbridge that getting there is rarely the difficulty; the pace of the roll is.
Motoring Offences We Defend in Coatbridge
Drink Driving and Drug Driving — Scotland's limit of 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood is the lowest in the United Kingdom, and it catches a great many drivers the morning after rather than the night before. We examine Intoximeter calibration and maintenance records, the procedure followed at the police station, and whether the hip flask defence is open on the facts. Dangerous Driving — conviction brings disqualification for at least 12 months and a compulsory extended retest, so whether the driving was dangerous or merely careless is frequently the whole case. Careless Driving — a question of degree, and often the correct charge. Speeding — the M8 and its junctions, the A8, the A725 and the A89 are all routinely enforced; we check device type approval and calibration and whether a Notice of Intended Prosecution was served within 14 days. Totting Up and Exceptional Hardship — at 12 penalty points the court must disqualify for at least 6 months unless exceptional hardship is proved on evidence. Driving Without Insurance — 6 to 8 penalty points or discretionary disqualification. Mobile Phone Offences — 6 penalty points. Driving While Disqualified — a charge carrying a real risk of custody.
The M8 Corridor and the Monklands Commute
North Lanarkshire runs on driving. The distribution and logistics sites strung along the M8 corridor employ a great many van and HGV drivers, and for anyone holding a vocational licence a conviction brings a Traffic Commissioner problem alongside whatever the court decides. Beyond that, a large share of Coatbridge works somewhere else — into Glasgow, east towards Livingston and Edinburgh, or on sites reached by van — often on shift patterns no bus timetable covers. That is precisely what an exceptional hardship application has to establish, and it has to be established with documents: rotas, contracts, journey times and figures rather than a general account of inconvenience. We prepare them properly, and we say plainly when one is unlikely to succeed. Call 01698 285 885 at any hour.
Areas Served Across the Monklands
We act for drivers charged anywhere in the Monklands and North Lanarkshire, including Coatbridge, Sunnyside, Whifflet, Old Monkland, Townhead, Bargeddie, Kirkwood, Glenboig, Annathill, Airdrie, Calderbank, Chapelhall, Plains, Caldercruix, Bellshill and Uddingston. Charges commonly arise on the M8, the A8, the A725, the A89 and the A752. Call 01698 285 885, or our Glasgow office on 0141 345 5735.