ALMOST 150 thousand motorists have been caught speeding across Flintshire and Wrexham since 2014.

Freedom of Information data, obtained by the Leader, revealed that 142,387 drivers were caught speeding across the two counties from 2014 to July 2019.

These are figures for fixed and mobile speed camera enforcement.

Flintshire saw 7,820 speeding motorists in 2018, compared to 3,319 in 2019 and Wrexham also saw a decrease from 11,663 in 2018 to 5,399 in 2019.

In Flintshire, the highest year for speeding motorists was 2015 with 19,576 offences, however, the highest number for Wrexham was 13,002 offences in 2016.

From 2016, both counties saw a decline in speeding motorists.

Cllr Hugh Jones said: "I think speeding is a real problem. It's a problem around some of the urban roads and I think it's a great shame that GoSafe Wales don't spend more time in some of the urban areas where speeding is a significant problem.

"Just don't do it. People who deliberately break the speed limit are putting people's lives at risk. It's not worth it."

The Leader has previously reported on a local community speed watch group in Buckley, who go out on a weekly basis to record speeding motorists.

Chair of the group, Cllr Arnold Woolley said: "Too many people are isolating themselves from the reality of society, ignoring hazards, putting children, older people and the less able at risk and expressing their angers by hooter and finger gestures.

"All they are doing is proving that we now live in a 'sod you' society instead of a community and that's no good for anyone.

"Learn to drive safely and legally with an eye on hazards and remember you are not the only person on the road, inside or outside of a vehicle.

"Young children under six have no capacity in their brain to measure speed and distance and older people with eye and mobility problems also find it difficult.

"I wonder how they got their licenses because we know in this day of rush and hurry that time is money, but there are more important things in life than money. Like keeping people safe and potentially keeping society law abiding.

"Those are what sticks community and society together. If people want to live their lives in electronic dummies isolated from human beings, that's their choice, but when they apply that from inside of a fast moving chunk of metal, it's dangerous."

The Freedom of Information results also showed the camera devices in which recorded the most offences in both areas.

From 2016 to July 2019, the A541 Pontblyddyn in Flintshire captured the most offences, compared to the A548 Oakenholt in both 2014 and 2015.

Similarly, in Wrexham, from 2016 to July 2019, the A483 dual carriageway, junction 7, Rossett captured the most offences – compared to the A525 Heol Maelor, Coedpoeth in 2014 and 2015.

A spokesman for GoSafe said: “GoSafe is the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership and measure the success according to compliance with the speed limit and reduction in collisions at our enforcement sites.

“The most successful sites are the ones that record the lowest number of offences, representing widespread compliance with the speed limit.

“The number of offences detected should also be placed into context with the types of roads: most of the public will comply with the speed limit, and it is a small number that do not.

“It is worth noting that the most offences were detected on some of the roads in the county with the highest volume of traffic.”

In North Wales, 55 per cent of offences detected were dealt with by way of attendance on a speed awareness course, 31 per cent were issued a fixed penalty and 10 per cent were referred to court.

Inspector Steve Owens, of the South Flintshire policing team, added: "Police and partners are continuing to monitor and address speeding issues, particularly along the A541, in the form of stuck and mobile enforcement units and engineering solutions. This will be continued by North Wales Police based on the fatal five initiative."

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