Action urged to tackle anti-social driving as worst speeding offences revealed

The Scottish Government has been urged to tackle anti-social driving after figures revealed the worst speeding offences in Scotland.

Data released through a freedom of information request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats shows incidents of motorists driving at multiple times the speed limit.

Police Scotland recorded one motorist driving at 148mph in a 60mph zone on the A68 in the Borders.

Another was found speeding at 142mph in a 70mph zone in Haddington, East Lothian.

The highest speed clocked on a 50mph road in Scotland over the past year was 112mph on the A90 from Stonehaven to Dundee.

One driver was recorded doing 93mph in a 30mph zone on Stenhouse Road, opposite HM Prison Edinburgh, while another was caught driving at 95mph on the 40mph A92 in Aberdeen.

According to Transport Scotland, 5,788 road casualties were reported across the country in 2023.

Of these, 155 resulted in death, while 1,930 people were seriously injured and 3,703 were slightly hurt.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called on the Government to look at whether councils should be given powers to install and operate speed cameras in their areas.

He said: “These figures show that despite the deadly toll that dangerous driving can impose, there are still people who are blasting along like a bat out of hell.

“Pets have been killed, residents disturbed and communities left feeling helpless, as if they have no other option than to put up with this racing.

“Speed cameras are all well and good, but they need to be backed up by a visible police presence and a strategy for tackling anti-social driving.

“Nobody should have to suffer the misery caused by dangerous and anti-social driving. It’s time the Scottish Government used the powers of our Parliament and Scottish local authorities to work together towards a lasting solution.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “To make all of Scotland’s roads safer, we need more drivers to recognise that speeding can cause serious injury and deaths.

“Locating safety cameras in the right place at the right time can contribute to better driver behaviour and reduced speeds.

“We work with Scotland’s three regional safety camera units, all 33 road authorities and Police Scotland every year to prioritise which sites are best suited for new safety cameras and to assess the performance of existing ones.

“Local authorities are involved in this process and already have powers to site safety cameras on roads under their control.”