Met Police quietly lower speed limit threshold leading to thousands of drivers being prosecuted

The threshold has been reduced by 1mph
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Metropolitan Police have quietly reduced their speed limit threshold, a move which has led to thousands of drivers being handed penalty notices.

The Met have reduced the threshold by 1mph, this is the speed over the limit that drivers can go without being prosecuted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The old threshold was 10 per cent plus three miles per hour over the limit so, for example, in a 40mph zone drivers would be able to drive up to 47mph without the risk of being prosecuted.

The change has seen a 259% rise in motorists threatened with prosecution for speedingThe change has seen a 259% rise in motorists threatened with prosecution for speeding
The change has seen a 259% rise in motorists threatened with prosecution for speeding

The new threshold is 10 per cent plus two miles per hour, which means that a driver on the same road would only be able to drive up to 46mph without being potentially prosecuted.

The police force have made the change without an official or direct announcement, and many drivers have been caught out.

Chiefs at the Met Police have in the past said that announcements about the change in speed are not made because: "posted speed limits are the maximum speed that road users should travel at any time, subject of course to conditions irrespective of the speed threshold that police commence enforcement action.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This lowered threshold is, at present, only being implemented by the Met Police, with other police forces across the country remaining with the old threshold.

What happens if you are stopped by the police?

If a driver is pulled over by the police, according to the Metropolitan police website, they can

  • give you a verbal warning
  • send you a fixed penalty notice
  • offer a speed awareness course
  • or order you to go to court – you’ll receive a letter explaining what to do
Related topics: