NEARLY a quarter of speeding offences detected by police in West Yorkshire were cancelled last year, figures reveal.

The RAC Foundation said the hundreds of thousands of fines cancelled each year across England and Wales are evidence that the system for catching and prosecuting speeding motorists is not working.

The charity’s analysis of Home Office data shows that West Yorkshire Police (WYP) recorded 180,432 speeding offences in 2020-21 - up two per cent from 177,013 in 2019-20, making it the highest number since comparable records began in 2012-13.

Of these, 51,800 (29 per cent) were dealt with by fixed penalty notices and 65,695 (36 per cent) by speeding awareness courses, while 18,479 (10 per cent) resulted in someone being taken to court.

A further 41,829 (23 per cent) were dismissed – up from 17 per cent the year before.

Among the reasons why offences could be cancelled are faulty or incorrectly calibrated speed cameras, a lack of resources to bring cases to court, or cloned vehicles carrying a false number plate, according to the RAC Foundation.

WYP told the T&A that the main reason offences are dismissed is due to an inability to identify the driver at the time.

A spokesperson from the Force said: "WYP enforce speed limits across West Yorkshire on behalf of the West Yorkshire Casualty Prevention Partnership using both fixed and mobile speed cameras.

"Offences detected by automated cameras follow a rigorous process which ensures all offences proceeded with meet the required evidential standards.

"All equipment in use is calibrated and maintained so as to comply with the strict type approval requirements governing their use.

They added: "A proportion of offences that are captured are cancelled for a variety of reasons.

"The most common reason is that the police have been unable to establish the identity of the driver at the time of the offence within the statutory time limits.

"Emergency service vehicles activations where a legal exemption applies are also cancelled.

"Cloned and stolen vehicles account for a small proportion of offence cancellations.

"Cancellations in West Yorkshire are in line with operational expectations.

"WYP has a dedicated team tackling the issue attempts to evade prosecution for traffic offences by those who seek to deliberately frustrate the legal process which has resulted in convictions and sentences.

"The short-term reductions in congestion during lockdowns led to increases in speeding offences and a rise in risk to road users.

"Consequently, in 2021, 218,000 speeding offences were detected on the roads of West Yorkshire by safety cameras.

"WYP remains committed to working with its partners to prevent death and serious injury on the road network and would urge all drivers to drive within the speed limit and at a safe speed appropriate to the conditions."