How much are speeding fines in the UK?

THE double flash of a speeding camera is every motorists' worst nightmare.

Here's how the rules around speeding work and how much you can get fined if you are caught breaking the law.

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How much are speeding fines in the UK?

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three penalty points on your licence.

You may also be given the option to go on a speed awareness course, that takes about a day and could save you the money and the points.

This is what you are likely to pay in less serious cases when a fixed penalty notice is sent by post or handed to you at the roadside.

If you have already got nine points - or in more serious cases involving higher speeds - you will be taken to court.

Magistrates can impose much higher fines and ban drivers from the road if appropriate, for example if the speed is so high it is considered dangerous.

Since April 24, 2017, the maximum court imposed fine for speeding remains at £2,500 if you were driving too fast on the motorway, and £1000 on other roads, but offenders can be charged up to 175 per cent of their weekly income, on a sliding scale depending on the severity of the offence.

What speeding fines can I get with the current laws?

Fines are divided into three bands – A, B and C – which correspond to how serious the speeding offence is.

Drivers caught at speeds up to 10 mph over the limit are classed as band A, with band B fares relating to offences where motorists were clocked at 11-21 mph over the limit.

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The most serious category of offence is band C, which applies to drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 mph in a 20 or 30 zone, by more than 25mph in a 40 or 50 zone, and by more than 30mph in a 60 or 70 zone.

So if you are clocked doing over 51mph in town or over 100mph on the motorway you will get the toughest penalty.

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These band C offenders face fines in a range between 125 and 175 per cent of their weekly wage, which could see the wealthiest motorists slapped with penalties close to the £2,500 limit.

They will also likely face six points or disqualification for up to 56 days.

Band B offenders are those clocked going at 41mph or more in a 30 zone or between 90mph and a 100mph on the motorway.

They can expect fines between 75 and 125 per cent of their weekly wage, plus four to six points or a ban of up to 28 days.

Band A offenders face three points and a fine equalling 25 to 75 per cent of their weekly wage.

Court costs and a victim surcharge could be added on top of the fine, adding up to a hefty total.

Why was the speeding fine raised in 2017?

The move to hike fines in 2017 came after Green Flag warned that the number of speeding offences has risen by 44 per cent over the previous five years.

District judge Richard Williams, a sentencing council member, said at the time: "The magistrates' courts deal with the vast majority of offenders in England and Wales, so it is essential that the guidelines they use are up to date and help ensure that sentences are applied consistently and effectively.

"We have listened to the views of magistrates, criminal justice professionals and others with an interest in particular offence types in developing these guidelines.

"We are grateful to all those who responded to the consultation and helped shape the final versions that will be used in courts."

Can you avoid paying your speeding fine?

You cannot challenge a fixed penalty notice - the only way to have it overturned would be to reject it, go to court and plead not guilty.

But you can see your speeding ticket cancelled in a number of circumstances.

The  has revealed that out of 2.4 million speeding cases reported in 2021, 400,000 had been dismissed, due to a number of factors.

Faulty and incorrectly calibrated speed cameras were to blame, as well as delays in issuing notices of intended prosecution.

This means that there are some instances in which rejecting a speeding fine is possible - if the ticket is sent to the wrong address or arrives long after the date of the offence, there may be grounds to challenge it.

In practice, it is very difficult to put up a defence against speed camera evidence.

In court, magistrates have discretion to impose higher lower fines and disqualification periods based on the circumstances.

Speeding in bad weather or near a school are aggravating factors that are likely to be taken very seriously by the court.

You are also more likely to be in deeper trouble if you are driving a larger vehicle, committing an offence on licence, or if you are pulled over during post-sentence supervision.

Mitigating circumstances such as an emergency or a previously clean driving record could earn you a softer penalty.

First-time speeders may be offered a speed awareness course as an alternative to a fine.

The cost of the one-day course is roughly the same as the fine, but it means you don't get points on your licence.