'Chilling speeds' of up to 161mph recorded in UK

"Chilling speeds" of well over 100mph were recorded on roads across the UK during 2025, according to a recent study.

The research from car insurance firm RAC said the top speed recorded by police forces last year was 161mph on both the M6 between Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford and the A5 in Bayston Hill, Shropshire.

A driver was also clocked going 89mph on a 20mph stretch of the B5129 in Deeside, North Wales, while another was caught doing 114mph on a 30mph road near a primary school in Aylestone, Leicestershire.

The government said there was "no excuse" for drivers who chose to speed and put lives at risk.

Rod Dennis, RAC's senior policy officer, said: "Our analysis shows some of the frankly chilling speeds some people are prepared to drive at – and these are just the cases the police are aware of.

"The fact that some were recorded in residential areas, even near schools, in daytime hours when others might well have been using the roads underlines just how dangerous this kind of behaviour is."

He said new measures, including casualty reduction targets, were welcome but a greater focus was needed on tackling the problem of excessive speeding.

The study was put together after freedom of information requests were sent to police forces across the UK.

The figures showed more than 30,000 motorists were caught driving at 30mph or faster on roads with a 20mph limit.

It came after Wales adopted a 20mph default speed limit in built-up areas, while the Scottish government has also committed to implementing the same limit where appropriate.

Some 62 out of 153 local authorities in England have adopted similar policies.

Across 33 police force areas, 271,341 motorists were also caught driving at 40mph or more on 30mph roads.

Responding to the study, a Department for Transport spokesperson said: "There's no excuse for those who choose to speed and put lives at risk.

"While we have no plans to mandate speed control technology, our road safety strategy includes proposals to fit all new cars with systems that warn drivers when they exceed the speed limit."

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