Foreign drivers escape thousands of speeding fines

Overseas drivers have avoided 23,295 speeding offences since January 2013 – the equivalent of £2.3million in lost fines.

The figures, revealed via a Freedom of Information request by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), also show that Thames Valley was the area with the highest amount of offences recorded, at 3,580, with the worst example being a driver doing 102mph in a 70mph zone.

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The second worst area for fines was Merseyside, with 2,477 offences, followed by Warwickshire, with a reported 2,152 offences. As foreign vehicles are not registered with the DVLA and there is no way to track them, these speeding offences are not pursued.

The data also revealed that in Surrey, one motorist was recorded travelling at 109mph in a 50mph zone, while the highest speed was registered in Kent on the M25, with one driver doing 111mph.

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IAM's director of policy and research, Neil Greig, said: "The high numbers of overseas speeders on our roads show how important it is that the UK joins up with the rest of Europe to harmonise motoring offences and give the police extra powers to pursue dangerous drivers.

“Progress on this issue has been very slow, and in the meantime thousands of drivers are avoiding fines and bans simply because their cars cannot be easily traced."