Colchester: highest speeds recorded by speed cameras

A Gazette Freedom of Information request to Essex Police has revealed the highest speeds recorded by speed cameras in the Colchester borough.

The speed cameras in Cowdray Avenue have recorded jaw-dropping speeds of 93mph, 89pmh, 101mph and 96pmh between 2018 to 2023.

In Ipswich Road, in 2019, a motorist was caught by a camera clocking in at 105mph, and a camera in Coggeshall Road recorded a driver speeding at 99mph.

Speeding restrictions, one of the 40mph signs in Cowdray Avenue (Image: Newsquest)

Busy - Cowdray Avenue (Image: Newsquest)

The speed limit in Cowdray Avenue is 40mph, 30mph in Ipswich Road, and 50mph in Coggeshall Road.

An anonymous resident of Cowdray Avenue said: “I don’t think the 40mph is a problem, but the 96mph is.”

Another homeowner said: “The speeding is an issue but not all the time, the main issue on this road the is motorbikes with loud exhausts.

Junction - an image of Ipswich Road (Image: Newsquest)

Area - a speed camera in Ipswich Road (Image: Newsquest)

“From Thursday nights onward, they rev the motors so loudly.

“I'd say the problem with speeding if someone loses control, there are no barriers, and a pedestrian could be hit.”

Another resident of Cowdray Avenue was in disbelief regarding the speeding.

They said: ” I'm really surprised to hear that, I don’t particularly notice speeding along the road, I work from home, I’m assuming the incidents must happen at night.”

In Ipswich Road, Neil Fitch, 60, thinks it is a major issue.

He said: “Regarding this road, in the car we have to try get out of the drive first.

Concerned - Ipswich Road resident Neil Fitch (Image: Newsquest)

“But the average speed down here must be 40 plus in the mornings, it’s even faster during the afternoons.

“I’ve seen motorbikes doing an excess of 30mph down here.

“Speeding is a dreadful factor down this road and if the A12 is closed, I’ve heard lorries shooting up and down this road.

“It is horrendous.”

Adam Pipe, the head of Essex Police’s Roads Policing Unit has confirmed the Force is working hard to crackdown on speeding motorists.

He said: “Vehicle speed remains the second highest contributory factor within injury collisions – either exceeding the speed limit or inappropriate speed for the conditions.

“We are undertaking more enforcement than ever when it comes to speed checks and we work with 106 Community Speed Watch groups – made up of 1,200 volunteers.

“The work of the RPU supports Vision Zero – our ambition to have no roads deaths in Essex by 2040 or sooner.

“Under this approach, the enforcement of speed limits is more important than ever. These limits afford protection to all road users, especially the most vulnerable, such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.

“As we work towards realising this ambition, we continue to keep unfit drivers off our roads.
“For example, in the first three months of 2024, RPU officers arrested more than 580 drivers in connection with drink or drug driving.

“While people continue to drive whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, we’ll continue this important work each and every day.

“Reducing road deaths and collisions isn’t solely the job of the police, of course we rely on working in partnership with those who maintain and manage our road networks and traffic calming measures.

“We will continue to educate and inform drivers about the impact dangerous driving can have on the wider community and we will enforce the law.

“Our work, together with partners, is clearly having an impact.

“In the early 2000s, we saw very high numbers of road casualties and this number is in steady decline.

“In 2003, we recorded 116 road deaths, 105 in 2004. Last year we recorded 42 fatal collisions, with 50 the year before that.

“One death on our roads is always too many, but these figures are moving in the right direction.”