The top 10 most prolific speed cameras across Wales have been revealed, with the most lucrative speed camera catching as many as 33 drivers each day.
A speed camera situated along Newport Road in Cardiff generated fixed penalties in excess of £3000 per day from April 2014 to March 2015. During the first 12 months of operation this speed camera could have generated fixed penalties in the region of £1.2M – with all speeding fines being paid to HM Treasury.
The top 3 speed cameras in Wales are all situated in Cardiff, 2 along Newport Road with the third along North Road in Cardiff. Also making the top 10 are the speed cameras along the average speed check on the M4 motorway in Port Talbot. A speed camera camera situated on Camarthen Road, just off the the Kingsway in Swansea, also sneaks into the top 10.
The majority of speeding offences caught by the speed cameras are dealt with by way of fixed penalty notice of £100 plus the imposition of 3 penalty points on the offending drivers’ licence. However depending upon the level of speed recorded by the speed camera, the case could be referred to the Magistrates Court where the fines imposed and the Court costs can be substantially higher. Where the driver already has 9 penalty points recorded on his or her driving licence, the case will be automatically referred to Court for disqualification to be considered.
All in all, the prosecution of speeding offences can prove a lucrative business, particularly where the speed cameras are strategically located.