Police 15,000 drivers caught by M5 speed trap
JUST under 15,000 drivers were caught speeding on a stretch of the M5 over a 12-month period.
Figures obtained by the Post through a Freedom of Information request have revealed the speed cameras in the Bristol region to have issued the most tickets.
The data shows the speed camera located on the M5’s southbound carriageway between J16 Almondsbury and J17 Filton caught the highest number of drivers speeding between October 2019 and September 2020, detecting 14,957 drivers.
The camera located on the M4’s eastbound carriageway between J20 Almondsbury Interchange and J19 for the M32 in Bristol came second, with 8,803 drivers caught. During that period, the highest speed recorded in the Avon and Somerset Police area was 157mph, the force said.
Between October 2019 and September 2020, here are the speed cameras in the police force area that caught the highest number of drivers speeding:
» M5 Junction 16-17 Southbound: 14,957 detections
» M4 Junction 20-19 Eastbound: 8,803
» M32 Seven Beach rail line overbridge: 8,598
» M4 Junction 19-20 Westbound:
5,958
» M5 Junction 17-16 Northbound:
5,556
» A358, Lipe Lane/Stoke Road, Henlade: 2,127
» Lansdown Lane, Eastfield Ave, Bath: 2,046
» M4 Swindon Junction 15-16 Westbound: 1,636
» M5 Junction 25-24 Northbound:
1,488
» M4 Swindon Junction 16-15 Eastbound: 1,328
The figures also revealed South Gloucestershire was the area in the region were the highest number of drivers were caught speeding in the 12-month period (41,248), followed by Somerset (23,988) and then Bristol (19,603).
In comparison, cameras caught a total of 6,753 drivers speeding in Bath and North East Somerset while North Somerset was the area where the least drivers were caught speeding (2,440).
In Bristol, 8,598 tickets were issued in the 12-month period by the average speed cameras on the M32, with a big spike seen over the summer months.
In June this year, the average speed cameras caught 1,157 drivers speeding, with 1,085 being caught the following month and 723 in August.
In a statement, Avon and Somerset Police said: “We all want safer roads. Inappropriate speed is a factor in many fatal or serious injury collisions and speed cameras have a role to play in helping to deter drivers from putting themselves and other road users at risk by exceeding the speed limit.
“Avon and Somerset Police publish the locations of speed enforcement sites on our website. Motorists who choose to break the speed limit are, when appropriate, offered the option of taking a driver education programme. However some will face a fine and penalty points on their licence. It’s important for drivers to be aware that sections of the M4 and M5 are managed motorways with variable speed limits set by Highways England which are enforced by the police.”