West Yorkshire Police have performed a U-turn over a refusal to provide the Telegraph & Argus with statistics of how many motorists have been snared by speed cameras in the M62 roadworks.

And it can be revealed today that there were nearly 40,000 prosecutions last year, potentially netting £2.3 million in fines revenue.

The T&A reported on Monday how West Yorkshire Police had blocked a request under Freedom of Information rules to disclose the number of drivers caught flouting the 50mph speed limit between junction 25 at Brighouse and junction 30 at Rothwell, citing fears it could ‘prejudice future enforcement policy’.

But Chief Superintendent Barry South said he had ‘reconsidered’ the decision after reading the story and agreed with an argument by road safety campaigner Carole Whittingham that releasing the statistics could act as a deterrent.

He confirmed 39,954 motorists were prosecuted in 2012 after being caught speeding through the roadworks area, which includes the Bradford turn-off at Chain Bar. This equates to an average of 109 prosecutions a day.

“The Freedom of Information Act allows exemptions to releasing data and that exemption does apply in these circumstances,” Chief Supt South said.

“However, the argument that publishing figures is a deterrent is a compelling one and I want to say on this occasion, having reconsidered, there is good cause in the interest of road and public safety to release them.

“People should have the facts both as a deterrent and a warning and I feel it is important to share those with your readers.”

A police spokesman said those caught speeding would have been forced to pay a £60 fixed penalty notice, sent on a paid-for speed awareness course or, in cases of excessive speed, have faced prosecution at court.

If 39,594 motorists each paid a £60 fine, that would raise £2.3 million in fines revenue for the police, although the actual figure netted could be higher.

However, Chief Supt South said the cameras were not a ‘cash cow’ and West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership was committed to road safety.

Police had refused to supply information about the number of intended prosecutions that had been issued since the managed motorway scheme began, the number that had resulted in prosecution and what the lowest speed for prosecution was.

At the time, a spokesman for the West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership said: “For speed enforcement to be truly effective there must be the perception that the chance of being recorded is high at all sites.”

Carole Whittingham, who set up the charity Support and Care After Road Death and Injury (SCARD) after her son Steven was killed by a drink-driver in 1992, said she questioned the number of prosecutions but was pleased it had now been released.

She said: “Common sense has prevailed.

“Giving out figures, unless they are low, always acts as a deterrent. What’s the point of keeping figures if you’re going to keep them in a drawer and not tell anyone?

“There is no reason for not sharing them.

“But if these figures are true, isn’t that a terrible reflection on society – that 39,000 people would disobey the speed limit?

“Although whenever I’ve been along the M62 the traffic is always so bad it’s not often possible to travel above 20mph.”

The statistics have been released a day after the Highways Agency launched a campaign to prevent deaths and injuries to workers and commuters in West Yorkshire as roadworks on the motorway near completion.

Bosses revealed 200 cones are being hit in the roadworks area each week.

Ch Supt South said: “Should people need reminding why the 50mph limit is in place, they have only to read the comments from the Highways Agency, asking drivers to take extra care as the roadworks reach their closing stages.

“On a daily basis as many as 131,000 vehicles pass through two junctions of this section of the M62.

“The recent removal of steel safety barriers means that cones are now all that separates those vehicles from the workers.”