Police officers have warned drivers to watch their speed as certain cameras around Kent are catching thousands of motorists every year.
Speed cameras covering the clockwise and anti-clockwise stretch of the M25 at Swanley recorded the most offences in the county, with 6,000.
Following Swanley, the next highest detection rates were recorded by cameras between Junctions three and five in both directions on the M20, along with the A282 approach to the Dartford Crossing.
The stretch of motorway has been a hotspot for reckless drivers, with police previously detecting some motorists travelling at a staggering 164mph on the M25 in Kent.
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Drivers are being warned of hefty fines on offer if they break speeding rules
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A total of 70,202 vehicles were detected over the speed limit by cameras in Kent in 2024, the BBC reported. A further 7,850 fines were issued by roads policing officers during the same period.
Kent Police said speeding was one of the "fatal factors" that contributed to the highest number of road collisions resulting in deaths and serious injuries.
Chief Inspector Craig West, head of Roads Policing for Kent Police, said: "Officers proactively target those who put other road users at risk, including on some of the busiest parts of the road network, where there's a greater risk of collisions occurring if motorists do not keep to the speed limit."
The force contributes to Kent County Council's Vision Zero strategy, which aims for as close to zero fatalities and life-changing injuries as possible through engagement, education, enforcement and prevention methods.
The M25 at Swanley saw the most speeding offences in Kent
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Despite the high detection rates at Swanley, overall speeding enforcement figures show a declining trend across Kent, with new figures showing detections for both speed camera offences and tickets issued by officers were lower last year than in 2023.
The number of fines issued by police at the roadside has also declined in the last year. In 2023, officers handed out 9,929 fines, 20 per cent more than in 2024. Meanwhile, between 2020 and 2024, cameras in Kent generated over £9.1million in penalties.
One of the UK's leading motoring organisations, the AA, is calling on the Government to introduce more dedicated roads policing officers.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: "Roads police should not become too reliant on camera technology.
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"What they can't do is stop a driver in the act and it also cannot uncover the reason why they're speeding, perhaps they may be under the influence of drink or drugs, or playing with a handheld phone behind the wheel."
The AA has called for "at least 1,000 more [officers] by the end of this Parliament" to assist with cracking down on dangerous drivers breaking the speed limit.
David Barton, a Kent solicitor who represents speeding drivers, believes more motorists are now heeding the warnings. "I think people are more aware of the serious consequences for repeat offences," he said.
He highlighted how drivers could lose their licences very easily if they accrue 12 penalty points in a three-year period.
Police forces are calling on motorists to be careful on the road
PAWhen this happens, drivers face a mandatory six-month disqualification, with Barton noting that it was "getting increasingly difficult to persuade courts not to impose that disqualification".
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Strict enforcement and tough penalties are in place for those who choose to put lives at risk by speeding, and for anyone who drives without a licence."
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