The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) introduced a new system of notifying traffic offenders by sms or e-mail yesterday.

Participation in the scheme is purely voluntary and free of charge and citizens can join up by visiting the Ministry of Public Administration website and clicking on the 'notificaciones telemáticas' section.

Subscribers to the scheme no longer receive notifications through the post, but get them via electronic mail instead.  The option of including a mobile 'phone number is also included in order to receive an sms as well as an e-mail.

The aim of the scheme is to avoid the problem of postal notifications not reaching their correct destination, resulting in more costly sanctions ultimately being imposed.  The DGT has, however, reiterated that ignorance of a fine does not mean that a person is exempt from paying it.