RESEARCH carried out into the number of fines generated by speed cameras across the UK in the last year have found some of the ‘greediest’ ones are in the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
According to figures, the cameras on the north and southbound carriageways on the M6 in between Junction 1 (Rugby Services) to Junction 4 (Solihull, the NEC and Birmingham Airport) via Coventry, Bedworth and Nuneaton, snapped 15,410 drivers breaking the speed limit between 2021 and 2022.
That stretch of road had the fifth highest number of motorists caught – the most were snapped on the A40 in north-west London between Long Drive and Welland Gardens where 49,050 photographed breaching the limit.
In 12 months, 1.74million speeding offences were captured by cameras across the UK, with drivers forking out a staggering £45.7 million in fines.
Only 457,232 drivers were forced to take a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence. Instead of a fine, 698,115 drivers opted to take a speed awareness course. This typically costs around £100 for enrolment, but means the participant does not get any penalty points.
The average speeding penalty totalled £181.70.
The research was carried out by car insurance comparison site confused.com which put in a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to 36 of the UK’s 46 police forces to mark 30 years since the first Gatso speed camera was installed on Britain’s roads.
There are now more than 1,300 speed cameras operating across the UK.
The Gatso – which was developed by former Dutch rally driver Maurice Gatsonides, flashes twice to show the car against painted white lines on the road.
Of all the drivers receiving fines, almost a third (29 per cent) were caught by a Gatso, 29 per cent were snapped by a mobile speed camera and 23 per cent by average speed cameras which analyse how fast a motorist is going between two points.
Car insurance expert, Alex Kindred, at Confused.com, said: “A worrying number of drivers are being caught on the roads for speeding, whether it be by Gatso cameras or other speed cameras.
“Our research shows that nearly half of drivers (44 per cent) have had a fine for speeding in the past. Although some motorists might feel that speed limits are an inconvenience, they’re there to ensure our roads are safe for all.”
