180 speeding offences caught in one hour – RAC
Essex Police has reported it caught 180 speeding offences in a single hour during a recent operation, with three drivers clocked at more than 100mph.
The speed check was carried out on Friday, 6 June on the A21 between Chelmsford and Witham, with top speeds of 110mph, 121mph, and 140mph clocked in just 60 minutes.
All three drivers will now receive a court summons.
Head of roads policing and operational policing command at Essex Police Adam Pipe said: “It’s totally unacceptable and is putting road users, as well as themselves, at risk of serious injury or death. I’m horrified to see drivers reaching twice the legal speed limit on our roads.
“We’ve seen a number of serious collisions on our roads this year, with people losing their lives. I urge people to think about the consequences of driving too fast and the irreparable damage that can be caused. Don’t resort to speeding, it’s never worth the devastating cost.”
This comes after research from the RAC has shown that speeding is now commonplace on UK roads, with its Freedom of Information request to 45 UK police forces revealing 48% have caught motorists driving over 90mph on 30mph roads.
Meanwhile, one driver was caught driving at 167mph on a 70mph stretch of the M1 by Leicestershire Police. In total, 58% of police forces recorded drivers travelling in excess of 140mph.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “There is no place for the vastly excessive speeds that some people are prepared to drive. We look forward to the government’s forthcoming road safety strategy understanding what can be done to reduce such avoidable casualties on the UK’s roads.”
