HUNDREDS of motorists are set to have their speeding tickets ripped up after they were issued incorrectly.

Lancashire police have written to around 300 motorists in East Lancashire, including many from Hyndburn, after an investigation revealed they had been issued when drivers had not broken the speed limit.

Bosses also confirmed that dozens of drivers ended up taking £80 speed awareness courses as an alternative to getting points on their licences, when they did not need to.

The mix-up arose after a number of mobile cameras were incorrectly calibrated between Febr-uary and September last year, which meant they recorded the wrong speed as drivers passed by.

Since then, an investigation has been set up by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the police’s central processing unit which is responsible for administering fines and processing court documents.

A spokesman for the IPCC said: “We can confirm that the process of rescinding speeding tickets has begun as a result of information uncovered during the investigation into allegations that a member of Lancashire Constabulary staff had incorrectly calibrated mobile speed cameras.

“The investigation is ongoing but Lancashire Constabulary has written to approximately 300 motorists whose convictions have been deemed unsafe.”

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: “The truth is that speed cameras are not that popular with the public at the best of times as many motorists see them as a way of raising revenue rather than improving road safety.

“I think that’s a bit unfair, but it is still a lingering doubt which people have, and obviously something like this undermines people’s confidence in the system.

“People will start questioning how many cameras were affected.

“Anything which undermines the public’s confidence in the system is to be deplored and the police need to get their act together and sort this out.”

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said they were unable to comment while the investigation was ongoing.

Naseem Malik, IPCC Commissioner for the North West, said: “Lancashire Police identified these potential problems and referred the matter to the IPCC so we could provide an independent oversight to these investigations.”