Just six drivers a year fined for speeding in Norwich’s 20mph zones - find out where they were caught

An average of just six drivers are fined for speeding in Norwich's 20mph zones each year, figures have revealed, but council leaders insist they are right to extend limits to further streets.

Speeding in zones can land drivers with a £100 fine and three points on their licence, but police and council leaders say the low numbers caught should not detract from the need for limits.

A Freedom of Information Act request revealed between 2013 and 2017, 28 drivers in Norwich were fined after police found them going over the speed limit.

A further eight drivers stopped by police took their chances through the courts, while no further action was taken against a five more drivers.

Councillors recently agreed to cut limits to 20mph in hundreds more streets in Lakenham, Tuckswood, Eaton, Catton Grove and Fiddlewood.

But police do not have the resources to routinely patrol them, although they do take action if they spot drivers speeding.

Council leaders said the intention was that limits would change behaviour and associated traffic calming would cut speeds.

Mike Stonard, Norwich City Council's cabinet member for sustainable and inclusive growth, said: 'The city council is committed to having streets that all road users, whether you're a driver, pedestrian or cyclist, feel safe on.

'We remain true to our long-standing position that 20mph is the appropriate speed for residential streets.

'We work in collaboration with the police, as well as take into account the local need to get drivers to think about their speed.

'In some areas, signage is effective, while other areas benefit from traffic calming measures; and in some instances enforcement action may be necessary.'

A Norfolk Constabulary spokesman said: '20mph zones are usually created with traffic calming measures in place which naturally control the speed of vehicles.

'However, if an officer witnesses speeding any zone they will take the action they think is reasonable at the time.

'Whilst the policing of 20mph zones is not routinely carried out pro-actively, we will continue to support communities with speed watch initiatives and if issues persist we can take enforcement action.'

The picture across Norfolk and Suffolk

Across Norfolk as a whole, 92 drivers were fined over the past five years, after they were caught speeding on roads with a 20mph limit.

A dozen cases went to court, while no further action was taken against another eight drivers.

The roads were drivers were most likely to be caught included Hellesdon Road, in Hellesdon, where 10 speeding drivers were detected in 2013 and four more in 2015.

Brick Kiln Road in North Walsham was another hot-spot, with 11 drivers caught and fined in 2015, on top of another the previous year.

Another was High Street in East Runton, where 13 drivers fined and another taken to court over the period from 2013 to 2017.

In Suffolk, drivers were caught speeding on roads with 20mph limits just four times between 2013 and 2017.

One of them was in North Gate, Beccles last year and another was on Thetford Road in Brandon in 2013.