Huge numbers of people caught speeding in Wiltshire in 2023

New data from Personal Injury Claims UK found that 871 fixed penalty notices were issued by Wiltshire Police in the last 12 months.

The cost of these notices handed out between November 2022 and November 2023 amounted to a whopping £87,100.

On top of this, 5,943 drivers in Wiltshire were offered or accepted retraining courses as a result of speeding, according to data obtained from Wiltshire Police.

87 drivers were prosecuted for speeding offences in 2023, and 2,613 licence points were handed out to speeding drivers.

These figures come after Wiltshire Police vowed to tackle dangerous driving this year with their summer road safety campaign.

The figures are shocking (Image: Newsquest)

Officers armed with speed guns have been staking out Wiltshire towns known to be speeding hotspots, and one stakeout found 68 drivers caught exceeding the speed limit in just one day.

“Every week our teams carry out Project Zero patrols, which sees the department intensify resources in one of the community policing areas to target drivers failing to abide by the law,” Inspector Will Ayres explained earlier this year.

“All too often, we see drivers speeding, or failing to give the road their full attention, whether that is due to mobile phones or other factors.

“It may seem like minor offences to some, but it is often these momentary lapses of concentration that can lead to collisions.

“Having worked in road policing for many years, I know all too well the devastation and heartbreak delivering a death message to a family can cause,” he added.

Grange Drive, Bridge End Road and Akers Way are three major speeding hotspots in Swindon. (Image: Wiltshire Police)

The minimum legal penalty for speeding is £100 fine and three points added to the driver's licence.

However, officers who stop speeding drivers can give them a verbal warning, send them a fixed penalty notice, offer a speed awareness course, or order the person behind the wheel to go to court by sending a letter of summons.

“Despite huge improvements in enforcement, it seems the risks and consequences of driving dangerously and at excessive speeds have yet to register with all drivers,” said Philip Wilkinson, Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

“Increased enforcement is starting to slow drivers in identified hotspots, but we can always do more to reinforce the message that Wiltshire Police will not tolerate drivers being a danger to themselves and others,” he added.