HUNDREDS of motorists have dodged speeding tickets in areas covered by a police force's controversial safety camera system.

Police chiefs suspended enforcing speed limits on some roads three weeks ago, after they became aware of a legal challenge to signs alongside the A171 in east Cleveland - a notorious accident blackspot.

The suspension was brought in on July 27 when Cleveland Police learned that two police officers from the neighbouring North Yorkshire force were trying to escape prosecution by proving the signs on the A171 were unlawful, or "non-prescribed".

PCs David Burlingham and Andrew McFarlane successfully argued that a black border around a joint speed limit camera warning sign had not been prescribed by the Department for Transport.

It is thought there could be as many as 100 across the Cleveland Police area which now need to be changed to meet the strict Government guidelines.

Highways engineers from Redcar and Cleveland council were expected to have completed a programme to replace 16 on the A171 between Waterfall Farm and Kirk Brown, near Guisborough, last night.

Sixty signs in Middlesbrough were deemed to be non-prescribed and work is under way to remove them.

In Stockton, some signs are being removed "to avoid any confusion".

Mick Bennett, of the Cleveland Safety Camera Partnership, said: "We suspended enforcement on sites where we thought there would be a problem."

Acting Assistant Chief Constable John Burke yesterday admitted the collapse of the court case last week was "embarrassing" and "doubly disappointing" because the defendants were serving police officers.

Mr Burke, whose decision it was to discontinue the case, said: "I want to be at pains to show it was not double standards.

"I'm extremely disappointed - what we have got here is a legal technicality."

It is not known how many similar cases could be challenged by members of the public, but Mr Bennett urged people to reconsider before launching a fight.

"People have to search their souls," he said. "They should ask 'was I speeding on that day? No one has been deceived or misled by any of the signs. The message is quite clear from them."

There are a total of 40 sites covered by speed cameras in the Cleveland Police area - 12 in Redcar and Cleveland, 13 in Stockton, eight in Middlesbrough and seven in Hartlepool.