Speed Demons Beware! London Cops Crack Down as Traffic Offences Soar
Since tighter coronavirus restrictions kicked in, London’s quieter roads have become a playground for speed junkies. The Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command is cracking down hard on these reckless drivers.
Traffic Offence Reports Skyrocket by 203%
Since March 23, there’s been a staggering 203% jump in Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) compared to 2019. Officers caught one driver tearing down the M1 at 163mph in a 70mph zone. Result? A six-month ban and nearly £1,900 in fines.
Last week alone (9-15 November), cops issued 605 TORs — that’s a massive increase from just 89 reports across London for the same week back in 2019. Fourteen drivers hit over 100mph, including one caught doing 108mph in a 50mph zone.
Vision Zero: London’s Aim for Safer Streets
Back in July 2018, the Mayor, TfL, and the Met launched the Vision Zero Action Plan, aiming to wipe out road deaths and serious injuries by 2041. Every year, around 4,000 people in London face life-changing crashes. Lowering speeds is key to hitting this target.
Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens said: “Speeding is one of the biggest killers on London’s roads. We’re watching. The huge rise in TORs shows some drivers think it’s fine to blast along quieter streets. But it’s not.”
“Speeding wrecks lives — last year, 125 fatal collisions involved excessive speed. Officers have to break the terrible news to families 125 times a year. Many use quieter roads to speed up, but we’re out there every day catching offenders. It’s not worth losing your licence or worse.”
TfL’s Tough Stance on Speeding
Siwan Hayward, TfL Director of Compliance, Policing Operations and Security: “Road Safety Week reminds us why we fight so hard to prevent deaths and injuries on our streets. Last year, 125 people died and nearly 3,800 were seriously hurt in London. Behind every number is a shattered family.”
“A pedestrian hit at 30mph is five times more likely to die than at 20mph. That’s why cutting speeds saves lives. We salute the majority of drivers who drive safely and stress that anyone caught speeding will face action.”
Road Safety Week, run by the charity Brake, is the UK’s largest road safety event, shining a spotlight on the need to keep our streets safe.
