Number of speeding drivers caught at cameras in Colchester

A Freedom of Information request revealed in 2021 almost 5,000 speeding incidents occurred in and around Colchester where careless motorists risked others’ lives.

And exposed as one of the worst spots for drivers putting their foot down is the A12 at Kelvedon.

A series of average speed cameras clocked a whopping 2,842 speeding offences during 2021, consisting of traffic using the major route to bypass the village.

Of those, 1,006 were headed Ipswich-bound while 1,836 were zooming south towards London.

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In Colchester, the camera which caught the most speeding drivers was the one situated in Mersea Road, at the junction with Bourne Court. The device clocked 413 drivers breaking the speed limit while travelling towards Colchester’s town centre.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Road’s series of cameras were busy snapping, with a total of 706 offences caught last year.Of those, 312 occurred at the junction with Silcock Close; 310 at the Lancaster Approach junction and 84 on the corner of Valentines Drive.

In Cowdray Avenue, the often heavily traffic-clogged route which hosts a McDonalds and Leisure World, and provides a key route into the Hythe, 271 offences were recorded.

This device also picks up eager drivers who have jumped the red light at the traffic lights adjacent to Mason Road, where The Range is located.

And in Lexden Road, which has Colchester Royal Grammar School and St Mary’s Senior School for Girls, 307 motorists were caught.

Mile End Road, which leads to Colchester North Railway Station, saw 185 offences take place at the camera found at the Tall Trees junction.

On the outskirts of Colchester, on the A120 Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, 96 motorists were clocked for speeding on the route which heads towards the A12.

Adam Pipe, head of roads policing, said previously: “When you consider some of the excuses given for these speeds, it’s truly shocking.

"My officers will continue to be out around the county to ensure you’re safe on our roads, tackling people speeding and drink or drug driving.”

In 2019, 17 people died and 241 others were seriously injured on Essex’s roads in collisions where an inappropriate speed was involved.