Speeding offence detection and disposal in England and Wales, 2018-19

The number of speeding offences detected by police forces in England and Wales has risen by nearly 40% over the last eight years, new analysis shows.

Analysis of Home Office data, carried out by Dr Adam Snow of Liverpool John Moores University and Doreen Lam of the RAC Foundation, shows 2,386,780 speeding offences were detected in England and Wales in 2018-19.

The figure represents a 4% rise from 2017-18, when the number stood at 2,292,534 – and is 37% higher than the 1,740,217 speeding offences detected in 2011-12.

Of the 2018-19 offences, 44% resulted in the offender being sent on a speed awareness course, with 34% attracting fixed penalty notices (FPNs).

One in 10 resulted in court action (10%), while 12% were later cancelled.

Speeding accounted for 84% of the total number of motoring offences detected in 2018-19.

In terms of location, West Yorkshire topped the list with 181,867 people caught speeding in 2018-19.

Second was Avon and Somerset (159,210) followed by the Metropolitan Police (including City of London) with 157,494.

At the other end of the scale Wiltshire Constabulary caught only 807 people speeding, Cleveland caught 11,937 and Derbyshire 12,256.

The RAC Foundation says the variations across police forces will in part be down to geographical area, road type and traffic volume – as well as local policing priorities. In Wiltshire, for example, all speed cameras were turned off in 2010.

Across the 43 constabularies of England and Wales, the vast majority (97%) of offences were detected by speed cameras.