Driver caught travelling at 116mph in 30mph zone as motorists rack up millions of speeding offences

More than 3.7 million speeding offences have been recorded on UK 20mph and 30mph roads over the past three years.

The figures, compiled from Freedom of Information data, showed offences on lower-speed roads increased by almost 26 per cent between 2023 and 2025.

Police recorded 1,105,272 speeding offences on 20mph and 30mph roads in 2023, which rose to 1,243,138 in 2024 before reaching 1,391,112 in 2025.

In the first three months of 2026 alone, officers recorded another 317,897 offences, the equivalent of more than 3,500 speeding incidents every day.

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The fastest was a driver caught travelling at 116mph in a 30mph zone in the Devon and Cornwall Police force area.

Speeding on 20mph roads increased even more sharply than on 30mph roads, as police recorded 37,219 offences in 20mph zones during 2023, rising to 125,133 in 2025.

The rise comes as more 20mph limits have been introduced across the UK, particularly in Wales, where the default speed limit on many residential roads was reduced from 30mph to 20mph in September 2023.

Transport for Wales data showed the length of 20mph roads increased from around 870km to 13,000km following the change.

North Wales Police recorded the highest number of speeding offences in 20mph zones, logging 91,205 incidents between 2023 and 2025.

This accounted for more than a third of all 20mph speeding offences reported by the police forces which responded to the FOI request.

Devon and Cornwall Police recorded the highest overall number of speeding offences on lower-speed roads, logging 351,015 offences over the three years.

Greater Manchester Police recorded the second-highest total with 280,282 speeding offences. Nottinghamshire Police ranked third with 247,100 offences, followed by West Midlands Police with 242,337 and West Mercia Police with 223,016.

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Alongside the 116mph offence in Devon and Cornwall, North Wales Police caught one motorist travelling at 89mph in a 20mph zone, more than four times the legal speed limit.

Leicestershire Police recorded a driver travelling at 114mph in a 30mph limit, while Bedfordshire Police detected another vehicle travelling at 108mph on a 30mph road.

Ben Welham, motoring expert at Marshall Motor Group, said lower speed limits are designed to protect the most vulnerable road users.

He said: "Most 20mph and 30mph roads pass through residential areas, town centres and routes where pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users are more likely to be present.

"Many drivers associate speeding with motorways or major A-roads, but these figures show it remains a significant issue on roads where lower limits are often in place to reduce risk in busier, more built-up areas.

"The most extreme cases are particularly concerning. Travelling at over four times the speed limit dramatically reduces the time drivers have to react to hazards and increases the severity of any collision."

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