The proliferation of 20mph speed restrictions throughout Britain has been identified as the primary driver behind a dramatic spike in motorists accumulating penalty points, with figures approaching one million.
Data obtained through a freedom of information request by IAM RoadSmart revealed that 939,519 drivers across England, Wales and Scotland received SP30 endorsements last year for exceeding speed limits on non-motorway roads.
This represents a 32 per cent jump compared with 2022, when 678,367 motorists were penalised for the same offence.
Critics argue the expanding network of lower-speed zones has created confusion, ensnaring otherwise compliant drivers rather than targeting dangerous behaviour.
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Edmund King, president of the AA, attributed part of the increase to expanded camera coverage, stating: "The increase in 20mph zones probably adds to those being caught on camera".
Britain's road network now features 20mph limits on more than a sixth of its total mileage, with 39,000 miles of the 246,500-mile system subject to the restriction, according to transport consultancy Insight Warehouse.
The Welsh Labour government implemented a sweeping change in 2023, reducing the default limit on most residential and built-up streets from 30mph to 20mph.
London has embraced the policy even more extensively, with Transport for London confirming that over half the capital's roads now operate under the lower threshold.
The aim of the new 20mph follows reports of fewer road casualties at lower speed limits | PALeeds is preparing to convert dozens of additional streets, while numerous other local authorities have either adopted similar measures or announced plans to do so.
Attendance at speed-awareness courses surged to an unprecedented 1.8 million last year, as drivers opted for the educational programme rather than accepting penalty points and a £100 fine.
Meanwhile, motorway speeding offences fell by six per cent in 2025, with 216,141 drivers caught, suggesting enforcement is increasingly concentrated on lower-speed urban roads.
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Department for Transport figures indicate that three-quarters of motorists exceed limits on free-flowing 20mph stretches lacking cameras, bends, junctions or traffic-calming measures.
The typical speed recorded was 24mph, sufficient to activate enforcement cameras.
Howard Cox of the FairFuelUK campaign offered a sharp critique, saying: "The war on UK motorists' wallets grows exponentially.
20mph limits in Flintshire to be removed following complaints by residents | PA"Recent anti-speeding policies introduced behind alleged safety reasoning is just a dishonest mask to fleece more cash out of the world's highest-taxed drivers".
Nicholas Lyes of IAM RoadSmart emphasised the safety dimension: "Speeding is one of the leading factors in the most serious collisions.
"We need a shift in mindset - speeding carries serious consequences, but the fact that it is so widespread indicates a cultural problem that needs addressing".