Revealed: Most prolific speed cameras in UK in last year

1.74 million drivers were caught by speed cameras on major routes in the last year

Convictions for motoring offences in England and Wales rose by more than a fifth last year, new figures show (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Archive)

Speed cameras on the A40 in northwest London have been identified as the most profilic in the country for catching motorists exceeding the limit, new data reveals.

New figures show that cameras on the busy A-road into London, between Long Drive in Acton and Welland Gardens in Perivale, have caught 49,050 speeding drivers in the last year alone – more than double the number any other camera caught over the 12-month period.

Price comparison website Confused.com sent Freedom of Information requests to each of the UK’s 46 police forces regarding the number of intended prosecutions for speeding offences captured by cameras in their areas.

A stretch along the A40 between Long Drive and Welland Gardens, northwest London, has been identified as having the most prolific speed cameras (Google Maps)

The research, which compared figures from the 36 forces that responded, revealed that more than 1.74 million drivers were caught by speed cameras on major routes in the last year, amounting £45.7million in fines.

Behind those on the A40 were ‘Gatso’ cameras on the M25 in Surrey and M4 near Bristol, which racked up more than 41,000 speeding offences combined. In fourth and fifth place were the A5460 in Leicester and the M6 near Coventry.

Police data showed that, despite the millions of offences logged, only 457,232 were forced to take a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence, while 698,115 were enrolled on to a speed awareness course. Thousands more, the comparison site believes, will have been elevated to the courts.

A poll of 2,000 drivers also revealed that almost half (44 per cent) have received at least one speeding fine in the past, while almost a quarter (24 per cent) of those caught faced a fine.

The Confused.com survey also found that the average speeding penalty cost motorists around £181.70.

The price comparison site said it hoped the cost-of-living crisis would incentivise drivers to watch their speed more closely to avoid extra financial burden from fines.

Confused.com’s car insurance expert, 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.

“If you’re faced with a speeding fine, there’s a chance it could be calculated based on your salary, and may be heftier than you first think.”