Thousands caught speeding over two weeks during Warwickshire Police operation

Speeding has a direct link to the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads and the first phase of the campaign urged speeding motorists to slow down and obey speed limits by providing statistics and information to encourage them to change their behaviour.

This was followed by a two week enforcement period to catch those that continue to speed on Warwickshire’s roads.

During the two week’s from 20 January 2020 to 02 February 2020, the speed of vehicles was checked by officers, including the Special Constabulary, PCSOs and Warwickshire’s many community speed watch volunteers.

The results are as follows:-

In excess of 2800 vehicles’ speeds were checked in 78 separate speed checks

193 drivers were warned about their speed at the roadside or by letter following Community Speed Watch deployment.

39 drivers were reported via a Traffic Offence Report for speeding and will receive a letter in the post.

One driver was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

In Warwickshire mobile and static cameras are also used and the following speeding offences were recorded during the two week enforcement period:-

168 speeding offences were recorded by our mobile speed camera vans

1,768 speeding offences were recorded by our static spot speed cameras

2,270 speeding offences were recorded on our Motorway Roadworks Enforcement Average Speed cameras (yellow cameras).

1,023 speeding offences were recorded by the overhead gantry HADECS Motorway Variable Speed Cameras.

In total 5,229 speeding offences were recorded by cameras in the two week enforcement period.

Insp Kirsty Clough said “It is disappointing that over 5,000 people were still caught speeding as they drove through Warwickshire during the two week enforcement period despite the campaign to educate drivers around the dangers of speeding during the preceding seven days.”

“Speed is one of the four biggest dangers whilst driving, called ‘the fatal 4’ and the difference of a few miles per hour can be the difference between life and death. It is hard to understand why so many people continue to put their own life and the lives of others at risk by speeding on Warwickshire’s roads.”

In Warwickshire, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019, 91 people were killed and 659 seriously injured in collisions where speed or loss of control was recorded as a contributory factor.

Insp Clough continued “We are asking people to slow down and drive at a speed that is appropriate to the road environment and conditions. Speed limits are there to protect the public and are a maximum not a target.”

“The police seek to educate the driver to change their behaviour and for some of those drivers caught speeding during those two weeks, speed awareness courses will be offered to enhance this learning process.”

Warwickshire Police is working closely with partners including Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Warwickshire County Council, Highways England, and national campaigners including BRAKE to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads.

What will happen if I’m caught speeding?

Speeding drivers who are eligible for and accept a conditional offer of a fixed penalty receive 3 penalty points and £100 fine. Fines are collected by Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunal Service and go directly to the Treasury.

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 a 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 behavior.

The course is not a way to consistently 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.

Speed check examples:-

Kingsbury: On Friday 31 January, a speed check was conducted on Coventry Road, Kingsbury. This location was chosen at the request of local residents. In the space of 30 minutes, 20 vehicles were found to be exceeding the speed allowed and all received Traffic Offence Reports. Speeds ranged from 37-45mph.

Bedworth: On Tuesday 21 January PCSOs attended St Michael’s Primary School in Bedworth at school pick up time to monitor the speed of cars and the position of parking. They identified some wrongly parked vehicles and slowed a few down. Five Traffic Offence Reports were issued.

Leamington: On Saturday 1 February speed checks were carried out on Rugby Road, Cubbington (near the junction with Broadway). Two vehicles were reported for driving in excess of the 30mph limit.

Kenilworth: On Monday 20 January, officers carried out speed checks for three hours at Warwick RW and Kenilworth (Chadwick End, Shrewley Common, Lapworth, Glasshouse Lane, Kenilworth). Nine vehicles were found to be exceeding the speed limit and received Traffic Offence Reports. One vehicle was stopped and driver spoken to.

Kineton: On Saturday 1 February, the special constabulary conducted speed checks in Banbury Road, Kineton and B4100 Gaydon. One driver received a Traffic Offence Report for excess speed of 42mph in a 30mph zone.

Burton Green: On 1 February, speed checks were carried out in Cromwell Lane, Burton Green and five Traffic Offence Reports made for driving in excess of the 30mph limit. The fastest recorded was 47mph in a 30mph zone.

Motorways: On Friday 17 January, OPU Officers stopped an Audi speeding on the M69 at 92mph and a Landrover Freelander travelling at 91mph. Both received Traffic Offence Reports. On 27 January a vehicle was caught speeding at 100mph on the M69.

Speed checks were also carried out in Warwick, Dordon, Nuneaton, Ansley village & common, Coleshill, Bulkington, Stratford-upon-Avon, Wellesbourne, rural villages around Shipston on Stour, Ettington, Southam, Lapworth, Ilmington, Whatcote, Treddington, Baxterley, Earlswood, Ullenhall, Pailton, Hillmorton, Rugby, Brinklow, Halford, Loxley, Newbold on Stour, Stretton on Fosse, Wolvey, Polesworth, Newton Regis, Nether Whitacre, Hartshill, Ansley Common, Great Alne, Wootton Wawen and Shuttington.