Landlord’s speed camera bill fury

FED-UP . . . Lighthouse Inn landlord Ian Brimelow and the bill for a speed camera

£4,785 charge mix-up
ANY motorist would be dismayed to receive a speeding ticket — but one Oldhamer has been sent the bill for installing a speed camera that doesn’t even work.

Pub landlord Ian Brimelow was shocked to be hit by a bill for £4,785 from BT for setting up the speed trap on Lees Road, Salem.

Mr Brimelow runs the Lighthouse Inn, close to where the camera was set up, but had nothing to do with its installation and doesn’t have a phone line — so he isn’t even a BT customer.

But after being sent a reminder, he is now concerned that the bailiffs will be sent round or he could end up being blacklisted for credit.

The 41-year-old has tried to sort the matter out with BT only for his call to be transferred to a centre in the Philippines who refused to help because his name is not on the bill — it was heading to Greater Manchester Police, but was sent to his address.

Mr Brimelow said: “I phoned BT’s business section and said you’ve made a mistake but they put me through to the Philippines and had me waiting on the phone. They said they couldn’t do anything about it as it’s not my name on the bill. I said obviously I’m not called Greater Manchester Police but they said there’s nothing they can do as I’m not the correct person.

“I phoned the police and they said there’s nothing we can do, it’s BT.

“It’s cost me £18 in calls up to now. I don’t want to be getting the bills for it and have people coming to my address saying I’m a bad creditor.

“They can’t cut me off as I don’t have a BT landline but I’m sick to death of getting their bills.

“I just want someone to accept that it’s their bill and not mine.

“I wouldn’t mind so much if the speed camera worked but it’s never been set up yet since it was put in three months ago.”

The camera was installed following a campaign to save lives after Moorside’s Chris Dale (15) was killed while crossing the road in June, 2009.

Danny Pattinson (18), of Trows Lane, Rochdale, was found guilty of causing death by careless driving and jailed for two-and-a-half years.

The mystery over the bill deepened further when Greater Manchester Police told the Chronicle that they are not responsible for the speed cameras but group Drivesafe is.

A BT spokeswoman said: “We are investigating how this bill was sent in error to the wrong address.

“In the meantime, we have apologised to Mr Brimelow and have arranged for the bill to be sent to the correct address.”

BT has also arranged a goodwill gesture for Mr Brimelow.