Every hour, one speeder fined

Devon & Cornwall speed camera offences captured

It covers 4,000 square miles, a population of 1.65 million and 13,500 miles of roads, so how many speeding drivers have speed cameras zapped in Devon and Cornwall? 

The answer's been revealed following a Freedom of Information request and the answer is whopping or wimpy, depending how you look at it.

Nearly 25,000 tickets have been slapped on drivers over the past two and a half years (23,485 if you want to be picky). That means across those 13,500 miles of road, on average one motorist is fined every hour because of evidence from a speed camera.

The true picture is more opaque; the numbers don't include drivers who opt to take speed awareness courses or who are referred directly to a court.

The highest recorded speed in 2016 was at the static camera on the A30 Eastbound at Fingle Glen, Tedburn St Mary, Devon, where a driver was caught doing 130mph.

In 2017, a driver was caught doing 136mph by a mobile camera on the A38 Deep Lane, Marsh Mills, Devon.

The highest recorded speed so far in 2018 was 121mph at the A30 carriageway, Woodleigh, Cheriton Bishop.

In April 2017, penalties for speeding changed. The usual fixed penalty is a £100 fine and three penalty points, but if you're prosecuted the damage can be much more severe. Offenders are now classified into three bands, depending on how much over the limit they're driving. A band A offence gets you three penalty points and a fine of half your weekly relevant income. Band B comes with four to six points or seven to 28 days' disqualification and a fine equating to a week's relevant income. Band C means six penalty points or seven to 56 days off the road and a fine of 1.5 times weekly relevant income. Fines are capped at £1,000, or £2,500 if you speed on a motorway.

Twelve points in three years brings a year's disqualification. The national police's council recommends discretion of 10 per cent plus two miles over the speed limit, but it's only a guide and they don't have to keep to that.