MORE than 63,000 speeding tickets have been handed out to motorists who zoomed past police cameras in Oxfordshire in just over a year, the Oxford Mail can reveal.

The hottest spot for drivers to be caught after they whizzed past speed cameras is Botley Road – despite it being the slowest road in the city.

A councillor said she was 'very concerned' by the figures, which show a huge increase in the cameras being triggered.

Of the two speed cameras located on the road, it is the camera which drivers pass on the way into Oxford that has clocked the most offenders.

Thames Valley Police said 6,362 people were spotted travelling over the legal 30mph speed limit from June 1, 2017 until June 28 of this year – an average of 16 a day.

The camera based on other the side of Botley Road has clocked far fewer people – 1,636 motorists. But it is still the twelfth most used speed camera in Oxfordshire.

The figures mean that 7,998 people were caught speeding along Botley Road in just 392 days.

City and county councillor Susanna Pressel, who represents Jericho and Osney, said: “I’m very concerned to hear that so many motorists are speeding in Botley Road. I hope they will remember to watch their speed both in Botley Road and elsewhere.

“Local people are upset that several children have been knocked down on pedestrian crossings recently. A little boy was hospitalised just a few weeks ago."

She added: “I’m sure that if the police could afford to put up more speed cameras, more motorists would be caught and our roads would be safer for all. Unfortunately, the system is not working as it should.”

A recent Government report found average speeds on Botley Road have dropped to 9.3mph.

In 2016, the Oxford Mail found an average of six motorists a day were caught on Botley Road between January and August.

Other camera hotspots in Oxford now include Marston Road, where a camera has been based for 22 years. That caught 3,319 errant motorists from June 2017 to June 2018.

A camera in Woodstock Road snapped 3,195 people exceeding 30mph, while officers using a speed gun along the A34 at Wytham has caught another 2,507 people driving over 50mph.

Statistics provided by Thames Valley Police as part of a freedom of information request did not make clear which cameras are currently used. Some are moved regularly or not used at all.

All fines are collected by the Treasury and not the police.

The figures show more than 3,000 tickets have been issued to people speeding on the A41 in Bicester.

Officers with speed guns have caught 3,312 people exceeding a 40mph limit since monitoring started on the road last November.

Sallie Wright, of Bicester Traffic Action Group, said she was pleased officers were monitoring the A41 more closely

She said: “What I know about it, I read on social media. A lot of people were moaning about being caught. But I think it’s a good thing to have speed cameras down there.

“It’s usually – nine out of 10 times – visitors to Bicester Village. They come off the motorway and down the dual carriageway as quickly as they can.”

Thames Valley Police was asked to comment on the figures.