Skip to main content

More than 2,000 UK drivers caught speeding at 100mph in the last year

According to data received by BBC Radio 5 Live in response to a Freedom of Information request, more than 2,000 motorists in the UK were caught by police speeding at more than 100mph in the last year. The figures come from 42 of the UK's 45 police forces which were asked to supply details for the 2014-15 financial year on the number of offences they recorded where a motorist was found to be travelling at 100mph, either by a speed camera or from an officer's speed radar. Forces were also asked to supply t
February 26, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
According to data received by BBC Radio 5 Live in response to a Freedom of Information request, more than 2,000 motorists in the UK were caught by police speeding at more than 100mph in the last year.

The figures come from 42 of the UK's 45 police forces which were asked to supply details for the 2014-15 financial year on the number of offences they recorded where a motorist was found to be travelling at 100mph, either by a speed camera or from an officer's speed radar. Forces were also asked to supply the maximum speed, location and make and model of vehicle involved.

Three forces - Greater Manchester, Kent and Thames Valley - did not supply any information while others only provided some of the requested details.

The responses showed at least 2,169 traffic reports were filed by UK police forces against motorists, most in cars but some on motorcycles, travelling at more than 100mph.

The highest speed recorded was a 1731 BMW M4 coupe travelling at 156mph on the A1(M) in Cambridgeshire in March, more than twice the national limit. A 1685 Mercedes C200 was recorded at155mph on the M1 in Hertfordshire, and a 3883 Jaguar at 144mph on the M4 in Gloucestershire.

The figures supplied by those forces specifying an exact speed showed 152 out of the 2,169 motorists were clocked going at 120mph or faster, with 43 stopped driving at speeds of at least 130mph.

The National Police Chiefs Council lead for Roads Policing, Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, told the BBC: "Speed is a significant factor in fatal road accidents and extreme speed causes an even greater risk to road users."

Related Content

  • January 30, 2012
    Use of ITS technology grows more prevalent in safety applications
    Transportation agencies and governments are using ITS technology to protect critical infrastructure from terrorist attack and other threats to economic security and public safety. Andrew Bardin Williams reports. It is no secret that we live in a potentially dangerous world. Terrorism as seen on 9/11 in the United States, subsequent attacks in London, Moscow and Madrid and other acts of violence across the developing world have made vigilance the watchword for ensuring security. Key infrastructure is now bei
  • June 24, 2016
    Green light for traffic signal performance
    A revamp of traffic light maintenance is helping to reduce congestion, save money and improve safety on Greater Manchester’s roads, according to the latest figures from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which is responsible for all 2,400 traffic signals across the region. These show that the number of incidents of traffic signal failure has steadily declined over the past three years. Between July 2015 and April 2016, there was an average of 413 signal fault faults per month. This is 24 per cent
  • September 24, 2018
    UK well positioned to benefit from autonomous lorries, says Inrix
    Driver shortage, commercially-viable roads and Brexit uncertainty position the UK to develop and benefit from autonomous freighting, says Inrix. The analytics company's latest report has identified the A1 from Sheffield to Edinburgh as the most suitable corridor for testing highly automated vehicles (HAV). The Inrix Automated Freight Corridor Assessment reveals the next best-suited corridor is the M5/A38 from Plymouth to Birmingham, followed by the M4 from Swindon to Swansea.
  • February 26, 2015
    IAM responds to illegal phone use study
    The UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists has responded to the Department for Transport study carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) into the prevalence of illegal mobile phone use while driving, saying that the results are disappointing but not at all surprising. The figures show that, in 2014, 1.1 per cent of drivers in England and Scotland were observed holding a phone in their hand with a further 0.5 per cent observed holding the phone to their ear, equating to more than 470,000 motorists