In less than a year, a speed camera on the A38 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, has racked up over 17,000 fines, sparking outrage among locals. Many argue that this camera is positioned to catch drivers off guard—a practice that seems to be spreading across the country.
According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, this camera has nabbed a staggering 17,498 drivers, averaging over 70 tickets a day, and raked in millions for the government.
What’s causing so many drivers to be ticketed? At this busy junction, speed limits drop rapidly—from 70mph to 50mph, then down to 30mph—as drivers move through 22 traffic lights. It’s easy to see how even cautious drivers could end up with a fine.
A recent Freedom of Information request by Legal Expert, a law firm, revealed that this particular camera is the most active in Britain. In the year ending April 5, over 5.2 million speeding tickets were issued nationwide, putting the UK on pace for about 9 million fines annually—generating around £1 billion from speed cameras alone.
While these cameras play a role in road safety, many drivers are left questioning if they’re becoming more about revenue than regulation.
The UK's worst speed camera hotspots
1. A38 - Sutton in Ashfield
2. M25 - Junction 7 to 16 - Surrey
3. A217 - Reigate
4. M3 - Junction 2 to 4a, Surrey
5. M25 - Junction with M3, Surrey
6. M6 - Between junctions 7 and 8 (northbound)
7. A14 - Suffolk
8. M23 - Junction 8 to 10, Surrey
9. A48 - Usk Way, Newport
10. M25 - Junction 5 (anticlockwise), Kent
11. A1081 - New Airport Way, Luton
12. A48 - Western Avenue, Cardiff
13. M62 - Merseyside (westbound)
14. M6 - Near junction 10, West Midlands (southbound)
15. M25 - Swanley (clockwise)
16. Garston Way, Merseyside
17. M5 - Gloucestershire
18. A470 - Northern Avenue, Cardiff
19. A1(M) - Junction 61, Durham
20. A5 - Hockliffe
Speeding fines start at £100 and come with three penalty points. For serious offences, like going over 100mph, fines can soar to £1,000 or even £2,500 on motorways, along with possible driving bans.
Motoring experts like Nicholas Lyes from IAM RoadSmart and Simon Williams from the RAC emphasise the need to balance safety with enforcement. While speed cameras can help prevent accidents—last year, they contributed to reducing road fatalities, with 1,645 deaths recorded—they’re often viewed as money-makers by drivers.
In a related note, hundreds of drivers are also being caught out by AI cameras that monitor phone use and seatbelt compliance. These high-tech devices can 'see inside your car' to ensure you’re focused on the road, in addition to tracking your speed.
Across the country, police forces are testing this new tech to boost road safety, while in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, a “sound camera” has been launched to catch drivers with blaring music or revving engines.
