13,000 motorists unaware of new rule on UK road slapped with £100 fine this week

Thousands of drivers have been fined after breaking a simple speed limit rule, with road users seemingly not aware that the rules had been changed. Around 13,000 drivers were said to have penalised on Tuesday for speeding through the A417 Missing Link roadworks in Gloucestershire.

The work is being carried out to install a new £460million three-mile dual carriageway which will ease traffic along the route. The works have required the introduction of a new 40mph speed limit to calm traffic. However, thousands were caught out by cameras after disrespecting the rules and driving too fast.

Celine Acard, Senior Project Manager for National Highways, warned that as well as risking fines, speeding drivers were putting themselves at serious risk.

She explained: “Safety is our number one priority. Tens of thousands of people use these sections of the A417 every day but for the sake of shaving an extra minute or two off their journey times, some drivers are putting their own safety and the safety of our roadworkers at risk.

“Our staff and contractors are working around the clock to complete this project as quickly as possible, and they’re entitled to do that safely without the threat of being maimed or killed by someone recklessly speeding through the roadworks.”

Experts claim that simply complying with the 40mph speed limit will add less than a minute to drivers’ journeys home. However, failing to follow the rules will see road users receive the same penalty as speeding anywhere else.

This stands at a £100 penalty fine, with road users also likely to have three penalty points slapped on their driving licence.

Nick Evans, Deputy PCC and Chair of Gloucestershire’s Road Safety Partnership, stressed that “too many people are killed and seriously injured on Gloucestershire’s roads”.

He said road safety teams were “specifically targeting dangerous behaviours” and how he hoped that “no one” was captured on the cameras if it meant road rules were being followed.

Nick added: “It may be a cliché, but speed limits are there for a reason; to keep everyone on our roads safe. That’s especially important around roadworks, where roadworkers are incredibly vulnerable, and the road is not in its normal state.”

“That is why National Highways have installed cameras along this section while the vitally important and long-awaited works on the Missing Link are completed.”