SOME 50 Wiltshire motorists are feeling the pinch in their wallets after they were fined for using a mobile phone while driving during the month of February.

County traffic police had given drivers two months' grace to get used to the new regulations banning the use of mobile phones while driving, which came into force at the beginning of December. But the gloves came off at the beginning of February and traffic police took action against 50 motorists they found phoning without a hands-free kit.

Acting Sergeant Colin Hibberd at Salisbury traffic department said: "Although we are not undertaking any kind of a campaign against using mobile phones on the move, we will continue to police that offence if it is identified, much in the same way we would with not wearing seat belts and other contraventions of road traffic law.

"The ironic thing is that drivers can pick up a hands-free kit quite cheaply. I have seen sets on sale at local garages for as little as £5, a lot less than it will cost them if they are stopped."

The new law means a £30 on-the-spot fine for any driver caught using their mobile phone without a hands-free kit. But, should they have an accident while using the phone, things could be a lot more serious.

Drivers have been found guilty of not being in proper control of their vehicles by using a mobile phone and at least one driver has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving when someone has died as a result of a crash caused when the driver was on the phone while at the wheel.

The only exemption for drivers using hand-held mobile phones is if there is a genuine emergency and it would be unsafe to stop and call 999.

In the future the Government intends to make the offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving an endorsable offence. Drivers would be liable to three penalty points.