Warwickshire Police catch 4,680 drivers speeding in two week NPCC operation

Warwickshire Police has revealed that a total of 4,680 drivers were caught speeding in the county during an anti speeding campaign that took place in October 2022.  

In just a two week period, starting on 17 October 2022, on average 334 drivers were caught speeding every single day.  This equates to 14 drivers caught speeding every hour, every day of the 14 day operation.   

This was achieved not only from the static speed cameras on Warwickshire’s roads and motorways but also through our camera enforcement vans and speed gun devices, with officers being deployed across our road network.  

So far 3,897 drivers who were eligible, have been offered a driver educational course.   

To date 74 drivers are facing prosecution, this will be by means of a fine and points or the driver placed before the Magistrates to be dealt with. This may be because their speed was excessive or they are repeat offenders or they have more than 12 points on their licence. 

The remainder of the speeding offences are still being processed. 

Some examples of extreme excessive speeding offences recorded during the campaign are as follows 

30 drivers were caught doing 100+mph on the M6 in Warwickshire, with the highest speed being 133mph.   

3 drivers were caught doing 100+ mph on the M42, with the highest speed being 116mph. 

9 drivers were caught doing 100+mph on the M40, with the highest speed being 118mph 

54 drivers were caught exceeding the 30mph limits in residential zones where there are more pedestrians including children, with speeds recorded of 58 and 51mph. 

A massive 2,928 drivers were caught exceeding the temporary 50mph speed restrictions put in place in roadworks for the safety of workers on the roads. It is not acceptable to put workers lives at risk like this.  

Operations to catch speeding drivers took place across the county, from residential areas including Stratford town, Rugby including Lower Hillmorton Road, Ansley Common Bedworth, Church Road Shustoke, Kenilworth and Lillington Road to major routes such as the A444 Nuneaton, A46 Snitterfield, A46 Leamington Spa, North Warwickshire and M6, M42 and M40. 

In addition, the county’s Community Speed Watch (CSW) volunteers were also out in force during the operation across the county.  Seventeen CSW Groups were involved and during the two week operation the speed of 4,316 drivers was checked as they went through CSW check sites during the monitoring sessions.  Of these 272 drivers were speeding at over 35+mph in a 30mph zone or 46+mph in a 40mph limit.  All 272 drivers will receive Warning letters from Warwickshire Police to help educate drivers to reduce their speeds. However, in cases where education is ignored and there is evidence of repeat or excessive offences, even across county borders, enforcement and prosecution will follow.  

Chief Inspector Faz Chishty said  

“Whilst the majority of drivers drive safely within the speed limit, there continue to be a few drivers who chose to risk their safety and that of other road users including cyclists, pedestrians and children by speeding.  Some risk the lives of their passengers who may be children, loved ones or friends. 

“In some cases, drivers received words of advice from our officers about their decision to speed.  

“Those that were eligible were offered a speed awareness course giving them an opportunity to change their behaviour.  This has a direct effect on road safety because we know that those who go on a training course are less likely to reoffend in the next 6 months after the course.    

“We are determined to reduce collisions, deaths and injuries on our roads and  enforcing speed limits has been proven to do just this. Our officers will therefore continue to proactively target those irresponsible and dangerous drivers who choose to drive above the speed limit.  

WRSP Chair and Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire Philip Seccombe said  

“Whilst education and enforcement play an important part in changing the behaviours of speeding drivers, we will only be able to reduce death and injury on our roads significantly if drivers take responsibility for road safety too by driving safely within the speed limit at an appropriate speed for the conditions. 

“People need not die on our roads and only by working together in this way can we achieve the ambitious target of a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries in Warwickshire by 2030 and make our roads safer for everyone.” 

Notes to editors   

Speed kills and in Warwickshire despite COVID, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021, 38 people were killed and 246 seriously injured in collisions where speed and/or loss of control was recorded as a contributory factor. 

The risks of being caught are also high.  In Warwickshire in 2021, despite lockdown, 56,136 people were caught speeding in the county.  Two thirds of speeding drivers were male and 98% were in cars and vehicles under 3.5tonne.  Worryingly despite needing greater braking distances 2% of drivers caught speeding were in vehicles over 3.5tonne. 

Sanctions 

Speeding drivers who are eligible for and accept a conditional offer of a fixed penalty receive 3 penalty points and £100 fine.  

Excessive high speed offences will not get a conditional offer and will be prosecuted via the courts.  

You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years. New drivers who receive 6 or more penalty points within the first two years of driving will have their license revoked.  

Those drivers who admit the offence of speeding and are eligible may be offered the opportunity to attend the National Speed Awareness Course on the effects and dangers of speeding as an alternative to a speeding fine and penalty points. 

The course aims to influence the attitudes and behaviour of drivers by directly challenging attitudes towards speeding, offering motorists insight, awareness and understanding about their speed choices, and helps equip participants to change their behaviour. 

The course is not a way to avoid fines however, you can only attend one speed awareness course every three years.  

Warwickshire Police also offer a National Motorway Awareness Course and if this is offered only one can be attended every three years.  

ENDS