Thousands more drivers caught speeding on Cambridgeshire roads and nearly all by cameras

Cambridgeshire Constabulary recorded 45,919 offences in 2019-20, according to analysis of Home Office figures by the RAC Foundation.

This was a 32 per cent rise on the 34,672 logged during the previous year, and four times the average eight per cent increase across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

The number of people caught breaking the speed limit across the two nations hit 2.6 million in 2019-20.

There was wide variation between areas – North Yorkshire saw the largest spike with the figure more than doubling, while Avon and Somerset Constabulary recorded a 32 per cent drop.

Figures obtained earlier this year by the PA news agency showed Cambridgeshire Constabulary recorded a dramatic drop in the number of drivers caught speeding at the start of lockdown in April, compared to a year earlier.

In Cambridgeshire, cameras caught were almost solely responsible for catching all the county’s recorded speeding offences last year (99 per cent), which accounted for 87 per cent of all motoring offences over the period – compared to 85 per cent across England and Wales.

Speeding drivers in the area were sent on a speed awareness course on around 21,300 occasions, while around 12,700 offences resulted in a fine.

Offences were cancelled in around 6,800 cases, while 4,800 resulted in court action.

The RAC’s analysis shows the number of detected speeding offences across England and Wales has risen by 49 per cent since 2011-12.

However the figure increased by a much lower 32 per cent in Cambridgeshire, from 34,800 eight years ago.

The RAC Foundation said the differences could be down to a variety of factors, including differences in road networks, traffic volumes, policing priorities and resources, and the availability of detection technology.

The group’s director Steve Gooding said: “Not for the first time there seems to be a patchwork approach to speed enforcement across England and Wales, with different constabularies dedicating varying levels of resource into catching those who break the limit.”

Mr Gooding said it is unclear whether reduced traffic levels during lockdown will lead to fewer speeding offences being committed compared with previous years, or if open roads will tempt some drivers to go even faster. There has been some evidence from police forces that the quieter roads in some areas had encouraged some drivers to speed up during the first lockdown.

Mr Gooding added: “As always we need to have regard to the bigger picture.

“All motoring laws are there to make our roads safer, hence tackling speeding is important, but it is only one aspect of driver behaviour that warrants attention if we are to break out of the plateauing of road fatalities in recent years.”

Cambridgeshire Constabulary says: “Speeding remains one of the most common causes of injuries and deaths on our roads.

“We would urge members of the public to always drive to the conditions of the road and remember, the limit is not a target. Driving over the speed limit not only increases the chance of an accident but also the severity of the consequences.

“Our Safety Camera Partnership aims to reduce injuries on our roads by targeting speeding offences.

“As part of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership, the group uses speed detection devices to enforce speed limits.

“Safety camera signs are also used to warn drivers of areas where speed limits are enforced. These signs are intended to warn drivers of collision-prone roads.“

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “How the police deal with speeding offences is an operational matter and will be enforced at the discretion of the individual police force.

“How forces approach speed enforcement may be governed by their own assessment of local issues, which could include targeting dangerous roads to reduce harm or cracking down on high-risk offenders.”