THE number of drivers fined for speeding in Wiltshire fell by a third last year.

Far fewer drivers were caught by police using mobile speed guns in 2018 than the previous year, down to 656 from 973.

Earlier this year, research by the RAC found Wiltshire Police detected the fewest speeding results of any force in the country.

And figures released by the force show a big reduction in drivers given fixed penalty notices from the year before. 

By far the most common speeding fine came from drivers breaking 30mph limits, with 291 penalties issued.

See the full stats below

Motorway speeding offences have halved since 2017, with only 171 people caught in 2018 compared to 340 the year before.

Swindon Advertiser:

Only 100 people were fine for exceeding a 40mph speed limit.

And just seven drivers were punished for breaking the speed limit in 50mph areas.

Below is a table of all the offences recorded since 2017, broken down into specific speed offence.

These are for manned speed checks only, as Wiltshire does not operate any fixed speed cameras.

And these figures are only for those issued with fixed penalty notices, and not those directly prosecuted by the force. 

Where is worst for speeding offences?

Wiltshire Police have provided figures for the number of drivers issued fixed penalty notices in the last two calendar years after a Freedom of Information request.

However, the force did not reveal the locations for the offences and how many drivers were caught in each place – despite being asked.

Police said they were ‘not obliged’ to release that information, and that it would take too long to find the information.

Swindon Advertiser:

The request for information should have been dealt with in about a month, yet Wiltshire Police’s reply took almost three times that to reply.

However, the force did reveal total numbers for speeding offences.

The figures in full: 

2017

Speeding - exceed 70 mph motorway limit

340

Speeding - exceed 5 / 18 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 mph limit for a goods vehicle –

2  

Speeding - exceed 20 mph

3

Exceed 40 mph speed limit

104

Exceed 50 mph speed limit

14

Exceed 30 mph speed limit

291

Speeding - motor vehicle exceed 70 mph on a dual carriageway

202

Motor vehicle exceed 60 mph on single carriageway

17

Total   973

2018

Speeding - exceed 70 mph motorway limit

171

Speeding - exceed 5 / 18 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 mph limit for a goods vehicle

1

Speeding - exceed 20 mph–

5

Exceed 40 mph speed limit 

100

Exceed 50 mph speed limit

 7

Exceed 30 mph speed limit

291

Exceed temporary 40 mph speed restriction

1

Speeding - motor vehicle exceed 70 mph on a dual carriageway

53

Motor vehicle exceed 60 mph on single carriageway

27

Total   656