Police reveal Herefordshire speed camera tolerance

Via Freedom of Information request, the Hereford Times asked West Mercia Police for details of the policy applied by officers when choosing whether to issue penalties and prosecute drivers caught by speed cameras in Herefordshire.

According to West Mercia Police, most drivers will only be prosecuted for speeding if they are going 10 per cent over the speed limit, plus two miles per hour.

The 10 per cent plus two miles per hour tolerance level means drivers could get ticketed for driving over 35 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone, or over 46 miles per hour in a 40 miles per hour zone.

A spokesperson for the police said: “West Mercia operates within the national guidance on enforcement. Enforcement starts at 10 per cent plus two miles per hour of the speed limit, for example 35 miles per hour within a 30 miles per hour speed restriction.”

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But the spokesperson clarified that this does not stop officers from legally being able to prosecute speeders going even one mile per hour over the limit. They said: “We are in a position to take action for driving at any speed over the speed limit.”

Recently, data was revealed on two speeding hotspots in Herefordshire. One was the A40 at Pencraig , where a total of 15,058 speeders were caught between 2018 and 2022. The other was the A4110 at Canon Pyon , where a total of 1,321 speeding drivers had been sent notices of intended prosecution after they were clocked breaking the limit between 2019 and 2023.

Although you may not be prosecuted for driving just one or two miles per hour over the limit, RAC advice says: “Speed cameras are situated to catch citizens breaking the limit. No matter where you are, it’s important to know the speed limits and the punishments for exceeding them. You could be on the receiving end of a fixed penalty notice if you’re caught speeding.”

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