Somerset speeding: Nearly 100 drivers stopped in one hour

Fresh warnings have been issued after 93 drivers were caught speeding inside an hour.

Avon and Somerset Police said the drivers were travelling on the M5 in Somerset during an anti-speeding campaign called Operation Tempo.

PC Dan Cox from the force urged drivers to think about the consequences of their behaviour.

"Speed causes serious injuries," he said.

"The more you can scrub off speed across the county, people will still have their collisions but they will be at a slower speed, therefore injuries will be less severe."

PC Cox said there had been "quite a few" drivers stopped for travelling at 100mph on the M5 during Operation Tempo, with the fastest daytime speed being 107mph.

A motorcyclist was stopped for doing 120mph after dark, he added.

PC Cox said had been "astounded" to see drivers not slowing down, even in recent wet weather.

"I've seen no material difference from some drivers in the wet weather on the M5 in particular," he said.

"Something's not working in the mind of the drivers."

PC Cox said that 53 people had been killed on roads in the Avon and Somerset force area so far this year, and that most people stopped travelling at 100mph were "oblivious" to their high speed and a lot of them were "late for an appointment".

"If they saw the consequences, if they saw the family liaison side of it, the devastation at the scene, is it really worth trying to get somewhere five minutes earlier?" he said.

Community Speedwatch volunteers, who record speeds and report the worst offenders to the police, have asked for more support from the force.

David Cundle, the coordinator for Somerton Speedwatch, said Sutton Road was one of the worst spots in the area.

"We are here to advise and remind people that it is a town, it is a 20mph limit, and the part they are driving on has no footpath and there are pedestrians - elderly people, mums with prams, people walking their dogs," he said.

Mr Cundle said that once a month his team were supported by a PCSO, but they wanted more of an official presence from the police.

PC Cox said the data recorded by the more than 1,600 Speedwatch volunteers across the force area was used by the police when planning operations, and that the scheme was "flourishing".

Martin George, a Somerton volunteer, said a "minority" of drivers gave abuse to the volunteers.

"We've had people stop and say to us couldn't we do something a bit more interesting, or telling us to 'get a life','' he said.

"The language can be quite choice."

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