Our fees for Motoring offences
Fixed-Fee Private Representation for Motoring Offences
Legal aid is not generally available for motoring offences where there is no risk of imprisonment. Should you require legal services for a motoring offence Andersons Solicitors can help you.
When deciding whether to use a legal service it helps to know the likely cost of legal advice and Court representation. For peace of mind, Andersons Solicitors will provide you with Fixed Fees and we can guarantee that there will be no hidden or additional charges when you engage in our services.
Which Motoring Offence Have I Been Charged With?
Understanding the charge against you is step one.
The most common motoring offences include:
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Careless Driving.
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Dangerous Driving.
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Driving, or being in charge, of a motor vehicle when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Driving, or being in charge, of a motor vehicle when the proportion of alcohol or drugs exceeds the prescribed limits in breath, blood or urine.
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Failing to Provide a Specimen for analysis in breath, blood or urine.
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Speeding offences.
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Driving without insurance or otherwise in accordance with a licence.
If you have received a postal requisition from the police, the Charge and accompanying legislation will be detailed in the document.
The Law:
If you are unsure whether you have been charged with a motoring offence, the links below will provide you with an up-to-date list of offences.
Driving offences - Part I of the Road Traffic Act 1988: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/contents
Speeding offences - Section 89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/89
What Will My Motoring Offence Case Cost?
Initial Consultation Fee
If you simply wish to receive general legal advice, we will charge you a fixed fee depending on the qualification of the legal representative you choose:
Role | Net Amount | VAT Amount | Total Amount Payable |
|---|---|---|---|
Solicitor | £350 | + £70 | £420 |
Trainee Solicitor | £250 | + £50 | £300 |
Paralegal | £180 | + £36 | £300 |
Our Fixed Fee includes:
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A 1-hour consultation
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Careful review and assessment of the evidence
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Obtaining your initial instructions
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Clear, practical advice on court procedure, likely outcomes, and potential sentencing options.
Should you be unable to attend our Peterborough office, we offer remote consultations via Zoom.
This fee does not include:
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Preparing your case for Trial.
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Obtaining defence witness statements.
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Instructing independent Experts.
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Representation at Court.
OUR PROFESSIONAL CHARGES TO REPRESENT YOU AT COURT
Our private client professional fees for representation in the Magistrates Court will depend on the Stage of the proceedings.
*Charges may vary depending on the complexity of the issues in your case*
Stage | Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|
Stage 1 - Initial Consultation only
| £350 + VAT (20%) | £420.00 |
Stage 2 - First Appearance hearing | £750.00 + VAT (20%) | £900.00 |
Stage 3 & 4
Case preparation and representation at Trial
| £2,000.00 + VAT (20%) to £4,500.00 + VAT (20%)
| £2,400.00 - £5,400.00 |
Sentence hearing only
*this fee is appropriate if you have already had your first appearance hearing and entered a Guilty plea*
| £750.00 + VAT (20%) | £900.00 |
Additional charges
(to be confirmed) | Barrister’s fees + VAT (20%)
Independent expert’s fees + VAT (20%) | TBC |
Our Fee Structure
Stage 1 – The initial preparation of your case
We will prepare your case for the hearing which includes:
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Reviewing the prosecution evidence commonly referred to as the Initial Details of the Prosecution’s Case. We will consider the Initial Details of the Prosecution’s case to enable us to advise you on the strengths/weaknesses of the case against you.
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We will arrange a consultation with your Solicitor for you to provide your initial instructions to assist us in understanding your defence.
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We will explain and guide you through court procedure so that you know what to expect at each stage.
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We will review any evidence that may assist/undermine the defence/prosecution case that you may have.
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We will advise you on the Sentencing Guidelines and obtain your mitigation (if appropriate).
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Our fees at this Stage do not include:
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Taking witness statements from any potential defence witnesses.
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Instructing independent experts.
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Preparing your case for Trial.
Stage 2 – The First appearance hearing
Your first appearance in the Magistrates Court is the date that you are required to attend Court, after you have been charged.
The purpose of the hearing is to answer to the Charges.
Before the hearing you will have a consultation where you will be advised on the elements of the offence, the strength of the evidence against you, Court procedure, credit for entering a Guilty plea and sentencing options.
During this hearing you will be required to confirm your personal details; full, name, date of birth and address. The charges will be formally read out to you.
You will be asked to answer to the Charges by entering a plea of Guilty or Not Guilty.
Guilty plea
If you enter a Guilty plea the Court may sentence you immediately, or your sentence hearing might be adjourned to a later date to get a Pre-Sentence report from the Probation Service.
If your sentence hearing is adjourned to a future date our fee to represent you at a later hearing is £250.00 + VAT (20%) = £300.00.
Not Guilty plea
If you enter a Not Guilty plea the Court will list your case for a Trial.
Your legal representative will complete a form outlining the issues in your case and the witnesses that will be required to attend Trial to give evidence.
Please note that this fixed fee does not include preparing your case for Trial.
The fee does not include:
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Advice and Assistance in relation to a Special Reasons hearing (because your case attracts obligatory disqualification)
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Exceptional Hardship hearings (because you are about to accumulate 12 or more penalty points)
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Independent Expert’s fees
Stage 3 - Preparing your case for Trial
At this stage, we will prepare your case for Trial.
We will conduct any further preparatory work as required and advise you of the possible outcomes.
Our fees include:
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Clarifying your instructions.
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Reviewing the prosecution and defence evidence.
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Liaising with third parties i.e. the Crown Prosecution Service and Court Service.
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Contacting and obtain statements from any defence witnesses.
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Instructing an independent expert (expert’s fees are an additional cost).
Stage 4 – Representing you at Trial
At Trial the Court will hear all the evidence and make a finding as to whether the Crown Prosecution Service has proved its case against you.
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Before the Trial your legal representative will meet with you for a final consultation.
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You will be represented by a Solicitor or Barrister. If you choose to instruct a Barrister, their fee will be charged in addition to our fixed fee.
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We would encourage you to set aside one day for the Trial.
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You will be advised on the prospects of any appeal.
Please note that our fee does not include representation at an appeal hearing which would incur additional charges.
NEXT STEPS:
PROOF OF IDENTITY
Should you wish to instruct us to represent you in your motoring matter, please note that we require Identification at the outset of the transaction.
The following proof of identification is required for all financial transactions:
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X1 Proof of Identification e.g. driving licence or passport
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X1 Proof of address e.g. council tax bill, bank statement, utility bill
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Remote ID check (via Zoom or MS Teams)
Please contact the office to arrange an appointment by email at info@andersonsolicitors.co.uk or by phone on 01733 838 355.
