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Drivers are being warned about the dangers of tailgating after cameras captured 60,000-plus incidents on a stretch of the M1 in a single year.

Eight in 10 motorists said they were aware of the ‘two-second rule’, in a National Highways poll, while three-quarters (75%) claimed they had never driven too close to the vehicle in front within the previous three months.

However, a recent trial of new tailgating cameras on a stretch of the M1 captured 60,343 incidents of vehicles driving too close over a 12-month period.

Last year, National Highways and Northamptonshire Police joined forces in the trial to raise awareness and deter tailgating.

Cameras were used on lane one of a stretch of the M1 over 12 months to automatically detect vehicles driving too close.

From the 60,343 detections, there were 10,994 repeat offenders and 2,144 letters were sent to drivers warning they had driven too close and highlighting the dangers of not leaving safe braking distances.

Drivers caught in the trial were not prosecuted but advised they had been tailgating and given educational material demonstrating the dangers of driving too close.

Driving too close to another vehicle can lead to prosecution for ‘driving without due care and attention’. This offence carries a minimum fine of £100 and three penalty points, and in some cases more severe penalties or a court appearance.

National Highways has now launched a campaign to tackle the issue of tailgating which is a factor in around one in eight crashes on England’s motorways and major A roads.

Jeremy Phillips, National Highways head of road safety, Jeremy Phillips, said: “Unfortunately, as highlighted by the M1 trial, we know that too many people are driving too close on our roads.

“Most tailgating is unintentional by drivers who don’t realise that they are infringing on someone else’s space. But not leaving enough space between you and the vehicle in front is not only very frightening for that driver, it could have devastating consequences.”

Phillips warned that closer a driver gets, the less time they have to react and to stop safely. “To avoid inadvertently getting too close to the vehicle in front, we would urge drivers to use the two-second rule and to always ‘stay safe, stay back’,” he added.

The Highway Code tells drivers to allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced.

The gap should be wider as speeds increase. It rises to 2.4 seconds – about 53 metres – when driving at 50mph and 3.1 seconds – or 96 metres – at 70mph.

Furthermore, the gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads.

To use the rule, drivers should allow the vehicle in front to pass a fixed object such as a lamp post or road sign then count to two seconds. If they reach two seconds before reaching the reference marker they need to drop back.

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at Brake, says it is vital that drivers leave enough distance between the vehicle in front in order to react in time to any sudden dangers.

“We’d urge everyone to respect the two-second rule to keep them, and others on the road, safe,” said Wakeford.

National Highways has a dedicated webpage where drivers can find more information about tailgating and what they can do to stay safe.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

I’ve had a few complaints regarding handovers of electric cars. During the pandemic handovers were limited to keep customers and delivery drivers safe but with the increase in highly technical electric cars being delivered customers need a much more detailed handover.

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has launched a new industry standard for car and van deliveries by dealers.

The voluntary AFP Dealer Standard consists of 28 points covering pre-delivery standards, the condition of the vehicle on handover and familiarisation with its key functions.

Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, says that the new standard aims to ensure the vehicle is delivered in excellent condition, the driver is shown how it works and treated courteously.

“The need for this kind of benchmark has become apparent over time as a number of factors have emerged,” explained Hollick.

“Probably the most significant is that cars and vans have been rapidly becoming more complex.

“The time when a driver could sit in the seat of a new model and work out all the key functions in a couple of minutes are long gone.

“Modern vehicles require a degree of familiarisation on handover – especially in instances where drivers are adopting an electric model for the first time – in order to be used safely and effectively.”

At the same time, the AFP says the pandemic and supply issues have placed dealers and the logistics sector under considerable pressure, meaning that handover standards have varied considerably.

“What we hope to encourage is a high degree of consistency in important areas such as ensuring that vehicles arrive with a high level of charge,” continued Hollick.

“Dealers can sign up to the Standard for a fee by getting in touch with the AFP and committing to meet its requirements, at which point they also become a member of the organisation.

“They can then use the Dealer Standard logo in marketing materials and tenders to promote their participation in the programme.”

In talking to major dealers as part of the creation of the project, the AFP says there is a high degree of interest.

“They recognise the importance of getting this crucial element of the fleet customer experience right and the first few who have decided to take part should be announced within a few weeks,” said Hollick.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

More than one in six of all fatal crashes involved alcohol in 2020 compared to around one in seven in previous years, figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) suggest.

Final estimates for 2020 of road casualties in Great Britain involving illegal alcohol levels revealed 220 people died in crashes where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit compared to 230 in 2019.

Over the same period, the total number of crashes where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit was 4,620 in 2020, an average of 12 crashes a day.

Of these crashes, an estimated 1,070 were serious accidents, representing an average of around 26 serious accidents a week and only a minor fall from 1,390 in 2019.

A total of 6,480 people were killed or injured in drink drive accidents, compared with 7,800 the year before.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “While there has been a small reduction in the number of drink-driving related deaths and injuries compared to 2019, when you factor in the reduction in traffic due to Covid-19, the role of alcohol in fatal crashes actually went up.” 

According to separate DfT data, traffic was down by a quarter overall in 2020 – with weekdays slumping to 35% of pre-Covid levels in April.

“Possibly as a result, police carried out the lowest number of breath tests on record – nearly 50,000 fewer than in 2019,” said Hunter Abbott, managing director of breathalyser firm AlcoSense.

“Yet research shows a significant rise in alcohol consumption at home during lockdown, increasing the likelihood of ‘morning after’ drink driving.”

He added: “Police should also be testing more drivers involved in an accident. In 2020 this had declined to 39% compared with 54% in 2010.

“Of those actually tested following a collision 3,278 were over the limit – at 5.6%, that’s the highest failure rate for 10 years”.

The Scottish Government reduced the alcohol limit for drivers in 2014, from 80mg per 100 millilitres of blood to 50mg. However, the legal limit in the rest of the UK remains 80mg, the highest level in the developed world.

Scientific research shows that at the limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, despite not breaking the law, you are 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than when sober.

But in a poll conducted by AlcoSense, more than a third of motorists (36%) think their ability to drive is only impaired if they are actually over the legal drink drive limit.

Greig said: “There is no one simple answer to reducing these figures, but IAM RoadSmart believes a much smarter package of measures is needed from the Government including a lower drink-drive limit to reinforce good behaviour, fast-track of evidential roadside testing machines to release police resources and tailored approaches to help drivers with alcohol problems.

“Rehabilitation courses work, and we believe all those convicted of drink-driving should be sent on one automatically rather than having to opt in.

“More use of alcolocks – which require the driver to blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle – and extra penalties such as vehicle forfeiture could all be part of a more joined-up approach to the problem.

“Hard core drink-drivers are simply not getting the message, and these figures will not improve until policy changes.”

Analysis by Brake shows that, between 2012 and 2019, there were a staggering 46,860 drink-driving-related crashes, causing 1,860 deaths and 13,340 serious injuries.

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at road safety charity Brake, said: “We need to change the culture around drink-driving, starting with more awareness that any amount can be deadly.

“While measures such as effective ongoing police enforcement and public information campaigns, including Think!, are helping to reduce deaths and injuries, Government should follow Scotland’s lead and reduce the legal limit. Such a move would make it clear to drivers that no amount of alcohol is safe when behind the wheel.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The experience of using public electric vehicle (EV) charge points has been slammed, with complicated payment methods and poor reliability major issues, new research suggests.

Three of the five most significant barriers to people choosing an electric car relate to anxiety about charging, with a third (33%) citing a lack of charge points on long journeys and more than one-in-four (29%) respondents to the Which? survey concerned about a lack of charge points close to their home.

Launching a policy paper on improving EV infrastructure across the UK, Which? says that there is an urgent need to improve the consumer experience of using public charge points, which is often “frustrating and inconvenient”.

It is calling for a major upgrade to the UK’s electric car public charging system infrastructure, with the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) estimating there will be eight million drivers across the UK who will not have the ability to charge an EV from home.

Currently, the Which? research reveals that only 13% of electric and plug-in hybrid car charging currently happens via public chargers.

However, as the UK approaches the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 and drivers switch to electric, the number of people who will be completely reliant on public charging will rise starkly.

This is why it is vital that access to the public charging network is improved, as well as the experience of using it, it says.

Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, explained: “Our research shows that few electric vehicle owners currently rely on the public charging network, but this will have to change if millions of people are going to switch from petrol and diesel vehicles in the next decade.

“Improving the UK’s flawed charging infrastructure will support more motorists to make the switch to a zero-emission vehicle.

“The current confusing and complex system needs to be quickly overhauled if the network is “going to be ready for the ban on new fossil fuel cars in 2030.

Charging must be easy, accessible and affordable if people are going to make the move to an electric car.’

“To that end, we are today publishing our first electric vehicle charging policy paper that sets out our recommendations for the future of public charging infrastructure across the UK nations.”

The Which? research and policy paper comes in the wake of a proposal from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), for a new regulator called Ofcharge to govern targets and ensure every part of the country has accessible, available and affordable charging for their EV.

Part of a new seven-point plan, published yesterday (Wednesday, February 15) by the SMMT, the automotive trade body says that, while most current plug-in car drivers charge at home, public charge points remain critical to consumer confidence and are still relied upon by many fleets, as well as the third of British households that do not have designated off-street parking.

Tanya Sinclair, policy director for the UK and Ireland at ChargePoint, agreed that EV charging points are vital for the UK to achieve widespread EV uptake, and it is necessary to get this infrastructure in place to remove key logistical barriers to consumer adoption.

However, she said: “It is important that this is done in the right way – it’s not just about needing a large concentration of charging stations but the speed, location, ease of use and incentives need to be carefully considered.

“Governments and councils should be actively enabling and facilitating EV charging infrastructure. The DfT must come through on its commitment to standardise the driver’s experience of charging by mandating roaming and enforcing minimum uptime for charging stations, which we hope to see in the much overdue EV Infrastructure Strategy.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A new regulator called Ofcharge is being proposed to govern targets and ensure every part of the country has accessible, available and affordable charging for their electric vehicle (EV).

Part of a new seven-point plan, published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today (Wednesday, February 15), the automotive trade body says that, while most current plug-in car drivers charge at home, public charge points remain critical to consumer confidence and are still relied upon by many fleets, as well as the third of British households that do not have designated off-street parking.

The plan, designed to drive collaboration between Government, industry and all other stakeholders, calls for mandated targets for infrastructure rollout, backed by an independent regulator to keep consumers at the heart of planning.

“Range anxiety has been replaced by charging anxiety,” Mike Hawes, SMMT

The new regulatory body, ‘Ofcharge’ (the Office of Charging), would monitor the market, including charging price levels and affordability, and to enforce regulated minimum standards.

The SMMT says that this would keep the consumer at the heart of infrastructure planning and rollout to ensure every region of the UK is in readiness for the end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, with a unified approach bringing together drivers, charge point operators, energy companies and local authorities. 

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, explained: “Our plan puts the consumer at the heart of this transition, assuring them of the best possible experience backed by an independent regulator.

“With clear, equivalent targets and support for operators and local authorities that match consumer needs, Government can ensure the UK has a charge point network that makes electric mobility a reality for all, cutting emissions, driving growth and supporting consumers across the UK.”

Drivers face a growing regional divide in charge point availability. At the end of 2020, the ratio of electric cars to standard public chargers was 1:37 in the north of England, compared with 1:26 in the south – and in 2021, the ratio deteriorated significantly in the North to 1:52, compared with 1:30 in the south.

The SMMT is proposing a nationally coordinated and locally delivered infrastructure plan that puts the needs of consumers first, while also giving charge point operators and local authorities certainty to install the right number of the right chargers in the right places ahead of need, across every part of the UK.

Since 2011, Government, local authorities and the charging infrastructure sector have successfully delivered a 3,000% increase in the number of standard public charge points, and the UK’s provision of one rapid charger per 32 battery electric vehicles is the best in the Western world, behind only China (1:11), South Korea (1:12) and Japan (1:17), says the SMMT. 

However, as demand for EVs has surged – accounting for more than one in six new cars in 2021 – standard public charging infrastructure has struggled to keep pace.

Plug-in cars on the road grew by 280.3% between 2019 and 2021, but standard charge points increased by just 69.8% over the same period.

Meanwhile, the SMMT says that battery electric cars in the parc rose by 586.8%, whereas rapid/ultra-rapid charger stock grew by only 82.3%.

Hawes said: “The automotive industry is up for the challenge of a zero-emission new car and van market by 2035.

“Delivering this ambition – an ambition that would put the UK ahead of every major market in the world – needs more than automotive investment. It needs the commensurate commitment of all other stakeholders, especially the charging industry as surveys show that range anxiety has been replaced by charging anxiety.”

Investments are being made in public charging with the Government’s Rapid Charging Fund allocating £950 million to rapid and ultra-rapid charge points, £620m for zero-emission vehicle grants and infrastructure announced in the Net Zero Strategy, and a commitment that all new build homes will include an electric vehicle charging point.

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, says that regional disparities in public electric vehicle charging rollouts must not prevent drivers from realising the huge benefits of driving electric.

“Only by overcoming these disparities can we achieve a fair and equal transition to cleaner transport,” he said.

“We welcome the SMMT’s call for new standards that would guarantee social equity in provision of charge points and ensure no one is left behind in the UK’s electric vehicle transition.

“Councils and developers can often be put off installing electric vehicle charge points due to the perceived high up-front costs of installation and a lack of transparency over network performance and driver tariffs.

“Any new regulator should seek to cut through this confusion and encourage the use of large scale, long term contracts that measure operator performance, not only against economic, but also social and environmental targets.

“For the UK to deliver a full societal transition to EV, access to convenient, reliable and affordable charging infrastructure must be removed as a barrier to adoption, no matter where in the UK you happen to live.”

Fleet Evolution founder and managing director, Andrew Leech supports the SMMT’s seven-point plan. He said: “While manufacturers have made great strides with new electric models, with more than 50 set to be launched this year alone, there has been precious little co-ordinated activity on chargepoints to meet the growing demand.

“At a time when many companies right across the country are looking to go electric, they are being held back by a lack of investment in public chargepoints and especially in our largest northern cities.

“A major concern is kerbside and lamp post charging as this is a significant problem area for the 40% of us who can’t charge at home.”

A recent EV attitude survey that Fleet Evolution carried out in conjunction with Aston University revealed that the factors that made people hesitate in making the transition to EVs, were 36% cost, 28% range anxiety and 25% lack of public charging.

Charging infrastructure was an area where lack of detailed knowledge was clearly apparent, with some 67% of those surveyed saying they did not live within five minutes of a public chargepoint.

by Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it is considering new vehicle technologies, including intelligent speed assist (ISA), to aid road safety.

In response to an enquiry made on behalf of the National Body Repair Association (NBRA), the DfT confirmed the new EU legislation regarding ISA is scheduled to apply to new vehicle types in the EU from July 2022 and all new registrations from 2024.

In the EU, a speed warning system will be compulsory in all new cars, vans, goods vehicles, buses, and electric vehicles (EVs). Motorcycles and mopeds will remain exempt from this.

ISA intends to encourage drivers to observe the speed limit. The system will not limit speed and can also be deactivated by the driver but will reactivate each time the vehicle is restarted.

Chris Weeks, NBRA director said: “Consumer safety is paramount and welcomed by NBRA, however, we are concerned about the impact this will have on the repair industry.

“We will not oppose any measures that increase consumer safety, but we will be watching the impact this technology has on claim frequency in the EU in order to understand the knock-on effect it may have in the UK.”

There are currently no mandates on speed warning systems such as ISA on new vehicles in Great Britain. However, many vehicles are fitted with this technology to earn higher ratings on the EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Protocol), said the NBRA.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is being urged to adopt EU vehicle safety measures that are due to come into effect in July.

The package of 15 integrated measures includes better direct vision in HGVs, automated emergency braking that detects pedestrians and cyclists, and ISA.

Last year, FleetCheck urged fleet decision-makers to prepare drivers now for vehicles being fitted with ISA technology.

New road technologies are currently under consideration whether it should be compulsory in new vehicles sold in the UK and which vehicle’ categories they should apply to once a new ‘GB type approval scheme’ is in place.

The DfT mentioned that this would be ready by mid-2022. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

VNC Automotive has questioned the automotive industry’s rush to replace conventional controls with touchscreens.

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The software company says that manufacturers are at risk of alienating customers, compromising safety, and drawing the ire of regulatory bodies.

“Car manufacturers are locked in a race,” says Tom Blackie, CEO of VNC Automotive. “Not the kind that demands ever-increasing power outputs or shrinking zero-to-sixty times, however. Instead, the results of this contest are measured in inches.”

With each new model launch, vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries a little further, it says, with a race to expand the digital real estate, and make it more prominent.

Tablet-sized screens perched on the dashboard originally became popular and were soon joined by digital instrument clusters before infotainment systems were defined by the emergence of Tesla, with almost everything controlled by a giant screen in the middle of the dashboard.

It meant that even the most basic interaction, from changing the radio station to turning on the headlights, required the driver to delve into a menu.

However, with its technology installed in more than 35 million vehicles worldwide, VNC Automotive questions whether today’s touch-based interfaces are really the best solution.

“Having a giant touchscreen interface is really about saving hardware costs by implementing everything in software,” says Blackie.

“Recently, though, there’s been growing disquiet as years of ergonomic study and usability experience are abandoned in the rush to cram everything onto a single screen.”

A recent study by the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory and road safety charity IAM Roadsmart found that drivers took their eyes off the road for as long as 20 seconds when asked to play a track from Spotify using a touchscreen interface, long enough to travel a distance of 630 metres at 70mph – more than a third of a mile.

During that time, many drivers struggled to maintain their lane position, while some failed to respond to a simulated emergency event.

Overall, reaction times increased by up to 57% when interacting with these devices; driving while over the alcohol limit by comparison only increases reaction times by 12%.

In light of this research, Fleet News reported how recent changes to law around the use of mobile phones while driving were a “missed opportunity”, according to road safety experts.

Dissatisfaction with the proliferation of these interfaces isalso  growing among drivers, suggests VNC Automotive, and with the European Commission estimating that driver distraction is a factor in up to 30% of all accidents in Europe, it seems likely legislators will soon feel compelled to step in.

“The sluggishness that plagued early systems has now largely been addressed, but the lack of physical feedback on activating a touchpoint still demands that drivers glance at the screen for visual confirmation,” explained Blackie.

“With many cars lacking a convenient surface to brace against, the task of aiming at a small control with an extended arm in a car that’s bouncing around can quickly become a repetitive one, prolonging the time spent diverting focus from the road.”

Haptic feedback systems have improved from early electromagnetic actuators mounted behind a sprung display to clever electrostatic technologies that can even replicate different textures.

However, there remains the challenge of muscle-memory: in the past, drivers could feel their way to their favourite radio station, says VNC Automotive. Now, the function of a touchpoint varies depending on context.

Not only that, but the design of the interface itself is critical to reducing the demands for a driver’s attention.

Frequently used controls, it explains, should be styled to stand out from their surroundings; icons should be easily discernible; the status of a function should be readily apparent at a glance; colours should be chosen to avoid wash-out in sunlight. These are considerations that should be given precedence over all others.

Some OEMs believe the answer is more screens. The Honda e and Mercedes EQS, for example, both feature a swath of screens across the dashboard, offering a digital landscape almost as wide as the car itself.

This marks a clear departure from the days of infotainment systems optimised for use by the driver alone; now, passengers are afforded equal access.

“Shifting the focus to the passengers in the vehicle allows each occupant to enjoy an individual experience,” continued Blackie.

“Once you make it easier for people to select their own entertainment, it frees the driver-focused interfaces of the burden of being both a control surface and a point of content consumption.

“At that point, we can redesign the UI and UX to regain the ease of usability that’s been lost.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Keyless car theft accounted for 94% of all vehicles recovered by Tracker last year, reaching an all-time high.

Thieves take the vehicles using relay technology to receive the signal from a key inside a house and transfer it to a portable device, allowing them to unlock and drive the car.

Tracker’s data reveals that London is the place where cars were most frequently stolen and recovered. The West Midlands, Manchester, Essex and Kent complete the  top five regions for vehicle theft and recovery. 

Northern territories like South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Merseyside also proved popular regions for criminals wanting to steal cars. However, the home county of Surrey with a close proximity to London, also appears in the top 10.

Four-wheeled drive vehicles were the most popular choice of cars targeted by thieves in the top five regions, apart from Manchester. When analysing Tracker’s data of the top five types of vehicles stolen in each region, criminals in Manchester clearly have a desire for sportier models such as the Audi A4 Sport Cabriolet and Jaguar XF.

Clive Wain, head of police liaison for Tracker, said: “The five regions topping our most stolen and recovered league table are the largest populated counties in the country, which accounts for their high level of theft activity.

In addition, London provides some great corridor routes through Kent and Essex to key shipping ports where criminals load desirable cars into containers to be shipped to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

“2021 continued to see the fall out of Covid-19 restrictions, with January and February proving quieter months for criminals stealing cars due to the lockdown.  However, as the year went on, we saw a significant rise in cars being stolen. 

This was made worse by the shortage in car spare parts worldwide, as criminals quickly recognised how lucrative it was to steal cars specifically for their parts. As a result, there was an increase in ‘chop shops’ being set up across the UK. These buildings are equipped to strip down stolen vehicles for their expensive parts which are then sold on very lucratively.”

The threat of criminals stealing cars in 2022 is just as prevalent, wans Tracker. It recommends that vehicles are protected using visual deterrents, such as crook locks and wheel clamps, as well as CCTV and immobilisers.

Stolen vehicle tracking technology, meanwhile, helped recover more than £9 million worth of stolen vehicles last year. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Councils and road authorities in England, Scotland and Wales have paid out almost £13 million for vehicle damage caused by potholes between January 2018 and October 2021, new research suggests.

Motorists across England, Scotland and Wales submitted more than 145,000 compensation claims to councils, with 37,366 motorists receiving compensation, on average, of £347 – a success rate of 25%.

The cost of filling a pothole has previously been estimated to cost £47.

National Highways (formerly Highways England), in charge of England’s trunk roads, was the highest paying authority, stumping up just over £865,000 in compensation.

The research, from What Car?, comes after The Asphalt Industry Alliance published its latest ALARM report, with local authorities in England and Wales facing a nine-year backlog of road repairs estimated to cost more than £12 billion.

Five county and city councils were found to have paid more than half a million in compensation between 2018 and October 2021, including Lincolnshire County Council, Surrey County Council, Lancashire County Council, Staffordshire County Council, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Lincolnshire County Council received the highest number of damage claims across the four years, with 8,810 claims, of which 4,313 were successful, costing the local authority more than £760,000 – £177 per claim.

Wiltshire Council was found to have the highest share of compensation claims paid, with 86% of the 1,594 claims paid, totalling £302,000 over the four-year period.

Slough Borough Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Councils were the second and third highest, paying out 65% and 62% of all claims, respectively.

In total, 11 councils across Britain paid more than half of all claims.

Not all local authorities answered the Freedom of Information request; 344 responded while 161 said they were unable to provide figures as road compensation often fell under the remit of county and city councils, rather than borough or district councils.

Meanwhile, a survey of motorists it conducted found almost one in four 24% motorists had damaged their vehicle in the past 18 months from hitting a pothole.

Two-thirds of respondents were aware they could claim for the damage caused from their local roads authority, though only one in 10 had ever done so.

Top 20 councils and road authorities per pothole compensation 

Position	Council or Road Authority	Total Claims	Claims successful	Share of claims paid out	Total Payout (£)
1	Highways England	4,781	2,707	56.62%	865,254.75
2	Lincolnshire County Council	8,810	4,313	48.96%	764,588.00
3	Surrey County Council	6,380	893	14.00%	608,284.00
4	Lancashire County Council	4,016	1,903	47.39%	520,745.26
5	Staffordshire County Council	5,659	1,502	26.54%	517,367.00
6	Stoke-on-Trent City Council	1,430	892	62.38%	507,055.78
7	Oxfordshire County Council	3,578	1,512	41.11%	378,770.00
8	Cambridgeshire County Council	2,666	942	35.33%	354,931.56
9	Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council	804	75	9.33%	350,500.00
10	Dumfries and Galloway Council	1,568	585	37.31%	324,111.39
11	Wiltshire Council	1,594	1,381	86.64%	302,911.10
12	Shropshire Council	2,412	811	33.62%	282,454.13
13	Dudley Metropolitan Borough	463	238	51.40%	262,862.49
14	West Northamptonshire Council*	2,995	770	25.71%	234,961.87
15	Derbyshire County Council	2,099	772	36.78%	222,264.60
16	Hampshire County Council	6,046	732	12.11%	219,284.22
17	Northumberland County Council	1,409	663	47.05%	196,450.00
18	Warwickshire County Council	1.153	515	44.67%	189,853.00
19	Flintshire County Council	600	248	41.33%	177,205.00
20	Devon County Council	2,734	720	26.34%	170,069.00

*As of the April 1, 2021, South Northamptonshire Council, Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Borough Council and Daventry District Council ceased to exist and formed the new West Northamptonshire Unitary Council. The data provided prior to the April 1, 2021, relates to those claims submitted to Northamptonshire County Council and covers the County as a whole. The data provided since April 1, 2021, relates to the West Northamptonshire area of the County only.

By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Greater London has been identified as having the largest number of speed cameras in the UK, with almost 1,000 speed traps located across the Capital.

The camera hotspots include spot speed sites, red-light cameras, ‘speed on’ green sites and average speed cameras.

London has 0.6 speed cameras per square Km, the highest proportion of any region. Derbyshire, which has the second highest number of cameras in the UK, has a density of 0.3 cameras per square Km.

The data was obtained by short-term insurance provider Go Shorty, by means of a Freedom of Information Request.

Rank	Area	Cameras currently installed
1	Greater London	995
2	Derbyshire	958
3	West Yorkshire	402
4	Humberside	266
5	Devon and Cornwall	115
6	Essex	100
7	Bedfordshire	97
8	Kent	84
9	South Wales	69
10	Gwent	67

The organisation also gathered data on the highest speeds captured in each region. Nottinghamshire topped the list, with one driver caught travelling at 191mph. The offence was committed on the M1 Southbound, between junctions 26 and 25.

Eight constabularies in the UK reported speeders caught travelling at 150mph or more.

Rank	Constabulary	Speed
1	Nottinghamshire Police	191mph
2	Humberside Police	163mph
3	West Yorkshire Police	159mph
4	Essex Police	158mph
5	Kent Police	157mph
6	Gwent Police	155mph
7	Sussex Police	151mph
8	Lincolnshire Police	151mph
9	Derbyshire Police	148mph
10	Lancashire Police	147mph

Almost half of fixed speed cameras are not working, however, according to a separate study answered by 26 out of 44 police forces.

Of the 1,092 fixed speed cameras, 523 are inactive. Wiltshire Police reported that they have no fixed or mobile cameras but just rely on handheld cameras.

Some areas – like North Yorkshire, Durham, and Northamptonshire – have no fixed speed cameras working at all. Some of the cameras started to be switched off 10 years ago when funding arrangements were changed, and they became too expensive to replace.

The findings, from a BBC Panorama investigation, come as death rates on UK roads have plateaued over the past decade, after previously declining for 30 years. The death rate on the country’s roads increased by 5% in 2020.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News