Thousands Of Drivers Caught Speeding During Week Of Checks

30 April 2013, 18:17 | Updated: 30 April 2013, 18:28

Almost 2800 motorists were caught speeding in Norfolk and Suffolk during a week-long European enforcement campaign.

Officers from the joint Roads Policing Unit and vans from Suffolk SafeCam and the Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership were deployed across both counties to increase checks and enforcement during the campaign, led by TISPOL – the European Traffic Police Network.

During the campaign which ran between 15 and 21 April, a total of 2773 motorists were caught speeding, 571 of which were caught by fixed cameras, and the remaining 2202 were caught by police officers on patrol or mobile cameras.

Chief Inspector Chris Spinks said: “Speeding is one of the ‘Fatal Four’ driving offences alongside drink driving, using a mobile phone and seatbelt offences. We concentrate on tackling these all year round, but the TISPOL week of action is a good way to focus attention on speeding and the risks you take when you go over the limit. It is as simple as speeding makes you more likely to have a collision, which can cause damage, expense, injury or ultimately the loss of life.

“There is never an excuse to speed, and all of those stopped will have been spoken to about their driving behaviour. Some have received a Fixed Penalty Notice or if they were driving excessively over the limit, they will be considered for prosecution at court.

“It’s as much about educating drivers as it is enforcement, and those drivers who were only slightly over the speed limit, have a clean licence and have not received a fine in the last three years have been offered the chance to complete a speed awareness course instead of getting points. These courses prove very effective in making drivers conscious of their speed and they will also pass the message to other friends and relatives.

“However, some people continue to think speeding is acceptable and so we will carry on our work to make Norfolk and Suffolk’s roads safer.”

In Norfolk 1545 drivers caught speeding – 1072 caught by officers and Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership mobile cameras, 473 caught by fixed cameras

In Suffolk 1228 drivers caught speeding – 1130 caught by officers and Suffolk SafeCam mobile cameras, 98 caught by fixed cameras