Drivers were caught doing 161mph on two roads in the West Midlands last year, the fastest speeds recorded anywhere in the UK, new figures have revealed. Police were appalled to learn cars had been clocked at that speed on the M6 southbound between Stafford and Stoke, and the A5 Bayston Hill in Shropshire.
Chilling speeds on residential roads
Data obtained by the RAC also included cases of extreme speeding, with a driver clocked at 89mph on a 20mph stretch of the B5129 in Deeside, North Wales, and another caught doing 114mph on a 30mph road near a primary school in Aylestone, Leicestershire. The RAC said the “chilling speeds” some people drive at shows they “remain oblivious to the incredibly severe risk”.
Widespread speeding offences
Figures from 28 forces which responded to freedom of information requests with comparable data show 32,548 motorists were caught at 30mph or more on 20mph roads last year, meaning they were driving at least 50% faster than the legal limit. Across 33 forces, some 271,341 motorists were caught driving at 40mph or more on 30mph roads.
Call for action
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “Our analysis shows some of the frankly chilling speeds some people are prepared to drive at – and these are just the cases the police are aware of. The fact that some were recorded in residential areas, even near schools, in daytime hours when others might well have been using the roads underlines just how dangerous this kind of behaviour is. Such roads will almost certainly be well-used by pedestrians and cyclists, so it doesn’t bear thinking about what travelling at such high speeds could have led to. New casualty reduction targets and an update to councils on setting local speeds are welcome, but a greater focus tackling the problem of excessive speeding and repeat offending is also desperately needed.”
Technology and government response
Mr Dennis also called for the Government to give courts the power to order the most dangerous speeding drivers to have technology fitted to their vehicle that prevents them from breaking the limit again, such as intervening intelligent speed assistance devices. A DfT spokesperson said: “There’s no excuse for those who choose to speed and put lives at risk. While we have no plans to mandate speed control technology, our road safety strategy includes proposals to fit all new cars with systems that warn drivers when they exceed the speed limit.”
