Lincolnshire ranked 6th in England for the most speeding convictions last year

It comes as convictions have hit an eight-year high - despite a consistent image in Lincolnshire

Author: Charlotte LinnecarPublished 1st Jun 2023

Lincolnshire has come in 6th place for the most speeding convictions in England last year.

It comes as convictions have hit an eight-year high - despite a consistent image in Lincolnshire with only a 1% different in the number of motorists convicted from 2021 to 2022.

The analysis from Churchill Motor Insurance shows that nationally, last year’s figure represents the most drivers convicted since at least 2014:

In 2022, 236,480 motorists were convicted in court for speeding offences in England and Wales.

That's a 16 per cent increase from the total in 2021, which was 203,545.

Meanwhile in Lincolnshire, there were 8,407 speeding convictions in 2022, and 8,349 in 2021.

A difference of just 1 per cent.

Steven Batchelor, the Senior Manager at the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, says the figures aren't surprising:

"The number of speed cameras that we have in Lincolnshire has remained consistent in recent years, so that would indicate that the number of people detected speeding is likely to be quite consistent as well.

"Of course, the number of people processed for a speeding offence is directly related to the amount of enforcement that's being undertaken, so the figures aren't surprising to us, certainly in terms of each area of breakdown- be that people who attend a diversionary course, take points or end up court.

"Obviously what we'd like to see is nobody exceeding the speed limit, and despite the level of enforcement that we're doing, that people drive safely, within the limits, thinking about those around them and keeping people safe."

When in 2021, by Police Force area, Lincolnshire was in 3rd place for the most speeding convictions in England it was behind West Yorkshire, which had 12,480.

Now though, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Avon and Somerset have overtaken that.

Steven continued to say:

"I think anybody that lives and travels in Lincolnshire understands that far too many people are killed and seriously injured every year on our roads and I think we all have a duty to try and keep people as safe as we possibly can.

"So travelling at safe and appropriate speeds allows people to observe potential hazards better, it allows them to respond quickly and hopefully avoid a collision occurring, and if a collision then does occur, it also often means that the severity is going to be less.

"So, it's about reducing the number of people who are killed and seriously injured in this county and it's really important, I think, that we undertake enforcement to try and prevent people speeding, as well as a range of other measures that we need to do to keep people safe."

The research also reveals that three in four drivers (74 per cent) convicted for speeding offences were men.

Just over half (51 per cent) of drivers convicted were aged between 30 and 50 years old.

And one in five (20 per cent) drivers convicted were aged between 18 and 29.

Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill motor insurance, said:

“Speeding is one of the main causes of road accidents and our research suggests that the problem is getting worse. Many drivers accidentally creep above the limit rather than speeding deliberately. While most people receive a fixed penalty notice for speeding, more serious or contested cases end up in court. This data shows that drivers who appear in court for speeding are usually convicted, and the fines are deservedly steep.”

The regions that have seen the biggest year-on-year increases in speeding convictions are Nottinghamshire (131 per cent), Gloucestershire (100 per cent), and Leicestershire (92 per cent).

Northumbria has seen the biggest decrease in convictions (-22 per cent).

London had the most speeding convictions, with 39,107 in 2022.

You can hear all the latest news on the hour, every hour.