UK's worst speeder clocked at 162mph near Sheffield

Using police data provided under the Freedom of Information Act, road safety charity Brake has listed the worst cases of speeding in the UK last year, with the top speed recorded in South Yorkshire.

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A motorist, who has not been named, was clocked at 162mph in a 70mph zone on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Junction 31 for Aston.

South Yorkshire Police also recorded three cases of motorists travelling at 109mph and another where a speeder was clocked at 107mph.

All the incidents took place on the M1 between Junction 31 for Aston and Junction 33 for Catcliffe.

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Last year, over 9,000 motorists were caught by police speeding at more than 100mph on UK roads, including 19 in South Yorkshire.

Brake is calling for automatic driving bans for those caught over 100mph and greater resources for speed enforcement work.

The road safety charity obtained figures from 40 of the 45 police forces across the UK.

From the responses, a total of 9,596 motorists were clocked doing over 100mph.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake,said: “There is absolutely no justification for any driver to be travelling at such excessive speeds – more than twice the national speed limit in some cases – putting themselves and others in grave danger.

“The number of drivers caught speeding at over 100mph highlights some deeply concerning issues with speeding across the country and makes clear the need for action.

“Anyone caught travelling at such speed should always face a ban – we have to make sure these dangerous, selfish drivers are taken off our roads.

“The Government must invest in national roads policing as a priority to provide the police with the resources they need to get out on the roads and act as a true deterrent to dangerous driving.

“The law must also be used to its fullest extent in penalising such dangerous behaviour, making it clear that speeding will not be tolerated.”