Bristol home to UK’s third ‘most prolific’ speed camera with over 18,000 drivers snared in 12 months

Bristol is home to the UK’s third ‘most prolific’ speed camera with nearly 19,000 drivers snared in 12 months, according to new figures. The data was revealed in an FOI request by Confused.com, which asked police forces across the UK how many prosecutions had been made against drivers caught speeding in the last year.

A speed camera on the M4 between Junctions 20 and 19 near Bristol was revealed to be the third ‘greediest’ in the UK, with 18,317 drivers caught and prosecuted by Avon and Somerset Police in just 12 months. A speeding camera on the A40 between Long Drive and Wellands Gardens in London came out tops, with a whopping 49,050 drivers caught and prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police.

Second in the ranking was a speed camera on the M25 between Junctions 7 and 16 in Surrey, with 23,134 drivers caught and prosecuted. In total,1.74 million speeding offences were captured by cameras across the UK in the last 12 months, with drivers forking out a staggering £45.7 million in fines.

However, of the 1.74 million motorists that were caught, only 457,232 drivers were forced to take a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence, the FOI request found. 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 doesn’t get any penalty points. The worst offending drivers could be taken to court and get an even more severe punishment, with fines potentially taken as a percentage of their salary.

Car insurance expert at Confused.com, Alex Kindred, 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%) 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. If caught speeding, motorists could land themselves with a fine, points on their licence or even a driving ban.

“In some cases, drivers could attend a speed awareness course instead, but the punishment depends on the seriousness of the offence. A speeding fine or points added on to your licence could also lead to an increase on your car insurance costs.

“If you’re faced with a fine, there’s a chance it could be calculated based on your salary, and may be heftier than you first think. Speeding fines are also often calculated depending on how far over the limit you are. If you’re unsure on how speeding fines are determined, our speeding fine calculator can help.”