UK Police Record 3.7 Million Speeding Offences on 20 mph and 30 mph Roads Over Three Years

GB News reported that police across the UK recorded more than 3.7 million speeding offences on 20mph and 30mph roads over the past three years. The total rose from 1,105,272 offences in 2023 to 1,243,138 in 2024 and 1,391,112 in 2025, an increase of almost 26 percent.

In the first three months of 2026 officers recorded a further 317,897 offences on those roads, equivalent to more than 3,500 incidents each day.

Speeding offences in 20mph zones rose more sharply, from 37,219 in 2023 to 125,133 in 2025. The increase coincided with the expansion of 20mph limits, particularly in Wales where the default speed limit on many residential roads fell from 30mph to 20mph in September 2023. Transport for Wales data showed the length of 20mph roads there grew from around 870km to 13,000km after the change.

Devon and Cornwall Police recorded the highest overall number on lower-speed roads with 351,015 offences over the three years, followed by Greater Manchester Police with 280,282, Nottinghamshire Police with 247,100, West Midlands Police with 242,337 and West Mercia Police with 223,016.

Individual cases included a driver recorded at 116mph in a 30mph zone in the Devon and Cornwall area, one at 89mph in a 20mph zone by North Wales Police, one at 114mph in a 30mph limit by Leicestershire Police and one at 108mph on a 30mph road by Bedfordshire Police.

Ben Welham, motoring expert at Marshall Motor Group, said most 20mph and 30mph roads pass through residential areas, town centres and routes where pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users are more likely to be present. He added that many drivers associate speeding with motorways or major A-roads but the figures show it remains a significant issue on roads where lower limits are often in place to reduce risk in busier, more built-up areas.