Thousands of people caught speeding by police in enforcement campaign

In a scheme led by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to target irresponsible and dangerous drivers and reduce collisions, 2,240 drivers – an average of 160 per day - were caught.

Officers from GMP’s safer transport team, including deployments across the roads policing unit, transport unit and central ticket office, also informed drivers of the risks of speeding and encouraged them to obey speed limits and drive at speeds safe for the road.

The last speed enforcement campaign took place in August, where just over 2,000 speeding motorists were caught in two weeks.

Driving in excess of the speed limit increases the chances of being involved in a crash and the higher the speed, the more serious the injuries are likely to be.

Excess speed also increases the chances of driver errors, such as driving too close or driving while tired or distracted. Higher speeds mean it takes longer for the vehicle to stop and turn near misses into crashes.

Chief Inspector Matt Bailey-Smith said: “Despite the current situation, we are continuing to crackdown on speeding drivers and are actively looking for anyone speeding in order to reduce the number of speeding-related incidents that take place on the road.

“The dangers of drink and drug driving are well-known, however many drivers forget the dangers of speeding. In 2018, 177 people were killed in crashes involving someone exceeding the speed limit and a further 137 people died when someone was travelling too fast for the conditions.

“Speed limits are enforced to protect you and other road users and these should be respected.”

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