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Speeding Fine Statistics: The effect of the 20mph speed limit changes across the UK
The UK has been rolling out lower speed limits to improve road safety and reduce crashes while also improving quality of life in urban areas. This policy aims to move away from the traditional 30mph on restricted roads in built-up areas to a lower limit of 20 mph.
In September 2023, Wales became the first major UK jurisdiction to adopt this limit followed by extensive schemes in major cities like Liverpool and London. With these new limits there has been a reinforcement of road policing and a dramatic increase in the number of speeding fines and motoring offences being recorded in the Uk, highlighted by recent speeding fine statistics.
To provide an authoritative, evidence-based view of the impacts of these lower limits, DPP Law has submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to police forces and government departments which were analysed alongside the Home Office’s latest ‘’Police Powers and Procedures: Road’s policing’’ bulletin.
In this article we will analyse the biggest year-on-year increases by region, compare outcomes and put the figures into context by discussing changes in policing and enforcement to ensure the new limits are being followed. This allows us to compare regional changes within the wider context of national speeding fine statistics.
When were 20mph limits introduced?
- The default 20mph speed limit across Wales came into force on 17th September 2023.
- Transport for London (TFL) introduced 20mph on central London roads in March 2020 and by December 2023 they had lowered the speed limit on over 140kms of road.
- Wirral council (which is part of Merseyside) began implementing 20mph zones in 2012 and approved a major programme in March 2022, with Phase 1 operational by November 2023.
- Edinburgh became the first city in Scotland to implement the new default 20mph limit on 31 July 2016 with enforcement beginning in August 2016.
How have speeding offences changed in Merseyside?
Freedom of Information (FOI) data from Merseyside police reveals that the number of recorded speeding offences nearly doubled following the creation of more 20mph zones, adding to a growing body of speeding fine statistics that highlight the scale of enforcement changes.
| Reporting Year | Total Offences | Change vs. Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35,705 | - |
| 2020 | 66,354 | -10% |
| 2021 | 64,710 | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 57,730 | -10.8% |
| 2023 | 60,206 | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 74,613 | +11% |
These offences have been detected mostly by automated, static cameras as shown by these figures:
- Static Cameras: 63,080 offences
- Mobile Camera Vans: 9,156 offences
- Police Officers: 2,377 offences
What do Wales’ speed camera statistics tell us?
| Reporting Year | Total Offences | Change vs. Previous Year | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 182,849 | - | 95,839 courses 47,280 FPN's 27,016 prosecutions |
| 2022 | 164,454 | -10% | 83,888 courses 43,283 FPNs 23,260 prosecutions |
| 2023 | 182,606 | +11% | 92,588 courses 44,980 FPNs 28,523 prosecutions |
| 2024 | 197,974 | +8.4% | 86,958 courses 54,819 FPNs 22,131 prosecutions |
The total number of offences for the 2024 reporting period still added up to 197,974 despite the temporary suspension of enforcement in the first two months after the national rollout. This suggests that drivers seemed initially reluctant to adhere to the new speed limits. It is also worth pointing out that the number of drivers receiving fixed penalties (FPNs) also increased significantly while the number of drivers offered awareness courses slightly decreased, perhaps because the number of repeat offenders had increased.
How many speeding offences does Police Scotland record?
The data from Police Scotland show a steady yearly increase in the number of speeding offences recorded. This suggests that enforcement activity has been significantly ramped up in recent years and displays driver non-compliance with the new lower limits.
| Reporting Year | Total Offences | Changes vs. Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 65,931 | - |
| 2023 | 72,754 | +10.4% |
| 2024 | 79,352 | +9.1% |
| 2025 (YTD) | 60,575 | - |
How has London’s 20 mph enforcement changed?
London has also experienced a dramatic increase in speeding enforcement following Transport for London’s (TfL) implementation of the new 20 mph limit. Metropolitan Police FOI data shows that there has been a clear shift towards automated detection via static cameras, leading to a record number of offences, producing some of the most striking speeding fine statistics in the UK.
| Year | Automatic Camera Offences | Change vs. Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 165,279 | - |
| 2023 | 729,387 | +307% |
| 2024 | 815,421 | +12% |
The total number of speeding offences in London rose from 738,279 in 2023 to 827,421 in 2024, encompassing both camera-based and manned enforcement. TfL noted that this represents roughly four times the number of offences recorded in 2018.
Offences detected by manned equipment have generally remained low, ranging between 8,892 and 30,840 annually since 2019, confirming the shift towards automatic policing.
The impact was not uniform across London, certain boroughs showed particularly steep increases between 2023 and 2024:
| Borough | Automatic Camera Offences in 2023 | Automatic Camera Offences in 2024 | Change vs. Previous Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley | 15,974 | 81,882 | +412% |
| Lambeth | 7,974 | 33,614 | +322% |
| Kensington & Chelsea | 35,961 | 67,357 | +87% |
Other borough also experienced significant increases in recorded offences, with percentages ranging from 80% to over 500%.
The sheer volume of new cases is seemingly placing a strain on administrative capacity, with 280,157 cases already underway in the first half of 2025.
What do national (England & Wales) statistics show?
The Home Office bulletin for 2023 presents a comprehensive national overview of motoring offences in England and Wales, revealing that speeding is by far the most common offence, offering the most authoritative speeding fine statistics available for understanding these trends.
The key national trends are:
- The total number of motoring offences resulting in a fixed penalty or other outcome reached 2,698,373 in 2023, representing an 11% increase from 2022.
- Speed-limit offences accounted for 86% of all motoring offences. There were 2,324,542 offences in 2023, an increase of 10% from 2022.
- The increase in speed-limit offences across the country amounted to 209,596 cases in 2023, significantly outweighing the smaller increases seen in other offence types such as mobile phone use.
- Most offences are detected automatically, with 98% of speed-limit offences captured by static cameras.
- The outcomes these offences follow a consistent national pattern:
- 51% of drivers attended a driver-retraining course.
- 36% paid a fixed penalty fine.
- 13% faced court action.
What happens after a speeding offence is detected?
In Merseyside the majority of cases in 2024 were resolved outside of court:
- Approximately 52% of offenders (39,107 out of 74,613 offences) attended a Speed Awareness Course
- 26% of offenders (19,015) paid a fixed penalty.
- 18% of cases (13,104) were referred for prosecution.
- The remainder of the cases (4%) were either cancelled or left unresolved.
London’s automatic-camera data reveals the significant administrative challenges of managing this volume:
- Like Merseyside, most offenders (253,930) attended Speed Awareness Courses
- Roughly 132,296 offenders paid fixed penalties.
- A total of 279,199 cases received no further action, highlighting difficulties in processing every offence.
- Only a small portion of cases (47,605) were referred for court.
- Around one-third of 2024 cases (102,391) were still ongoing, with an additional 280,157 cases already ongoing during the first half of 2025.
To summarise, while speed awareness courses and fixed penalties remain the most common outcomes nationally, the latest speeding fine statistics show that the volume of offences generated by new enforcement methods is placing pressure on administrative systems.
Final Caution and Legal Guidance
It’s important to remember that speeding penalties can lead to:
- Points on your licence, which can result in disqualification under the ‘totting up’ system (12 points in three years).
- Significantly higher insurance premiums.
- Driving disqualification for the most serious or repeat offences.
If you are facing a speeding fine, are concerned about potential prosecution, or wish to challenge a speeding ticket, our dedicated motoring defence solicitors are here to help you navigate each step of the complex legal road ahead. With a proven track record and over 35 years of experience you can rely on us to protect your licence, your freedom and your future.
Get in touch with us today for your free, confidential, no-obligation initial consultation by calling 0333 200 7207. You can also get in contact by submitting your enquiry via our email DrivenToDefend@dpp-law.com, or by filling out our web enquiry form below.
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