rising numbers attending traffic court.

One anonymous source said he was worried whether those packing courts and clogging hallways would be able to get out if there was a fire.

And Court Administrator Tracey Kelly said present numbers were manageable but expressed fears as the effects of the Police blitz on traffic offenders worked its way through to the court.

Police promised to limit each session to 100 cases but have already broken that figure.

Mr. Kelly said: "I am not concerned there is a risk with numbers we've had lately but if we get any more there could be a serious problem like last summer when we put them out on the side walk.

"We have 104 on Tuesday and that's manageable. 100 to 120 is O.K. but we're getting 150 on Thursday. It's based on the Police clampdown -- they're getting people in droves.

"I wouldn't want to see 300-400. You have to use three courts and it's very disruptive.

"There is a second way out through the basement -- if we couldn't use the front door we could take them through there.'' But Mr. Kelly said he had been given no indication by the Police why they had failed to limit numbers to the agreed 100 cases a day.

The organisation of traffic court was also blasted by those attending a recent session.

One speeder said: "I could be here for two hours -- my name starts with `W' so I probably won't get called till after 4 p.m. but they still tell me to come to the court at 2.30 p.m.

"You would have thought they could calculate when I'd actually be needed. Why didn't they tell me to come at 3.30 p.m? "I shouldn't be here for a first time offence -- I've been driving for 27 years and never got into trouble.

"There should be a fine payable without having to come to here and queue up.

If it's a repeat offence then you should have to come to traffic court. "This is totally ridiculous -- it's wasting my time and the country's time.

And he said traffic penalties should be consistent rather than be left to the magistrate's discretion.

He said: "If you're up before Will Francis and you've gone over 60k then you're off the road but if you're up before the other two then you can do up to 70k without being banned.'' Beauty Therapist and first-time speeder Victoria Pollock agreed.

She said: "They should stagger it rather than tell us to all come at the same time.'' "If I don't work I don't get paid.'' Another female motorist, who didn't wish to be named, said: "It's not very well organised. They should break it up a bit so we don't all come at once.'' However Mr. Kelly said: "If we stagger it we really don't know how soon we will finish the first group of people. If we finish by 3 p.m. we will have to sit around waiting.

"We get them all in at 2.30 p.m. and get through it as quick as possible.

Last week we did 150 people in 90 minutes. But if your name is Trott or Zuill you could wait two hours.

"One day we started at the bottom of the alphabet but people thought they could come late and it didn't work. The minute you start making changes it causes confusion.'' He said the court worked on the basis that 10 to 15 per cent of those summoned don't turn up.

And Mr. Kelly said the plan to allow speeders to pay the court clerk within seven days of being caught doing 62k or less will cut the court's work in half.