FOI 0045-2026/27- Speeding offences in 20mph zones
Request:
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request information from your constabulary relating to speeding offences recorded in 20mph and 30mph speed limit areas within your force area.
For the purposes of this request, I am referring to offences where a driver exceeded the posted speed limit on a public road in either a 20mph or 30mph limit.
I would be grateful if you could provide the following information.
Q1. The total number of speeding offences recorded in 20mph limits in each of the following calendar years: 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Q2. The total number of speeding offences recorded in 30mph limits in each of the following calendar years: 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Q3. The total number of speeding offences recorded in 20mph limits between 1 January 2026 and 31 March 2026.
Q4. The total number of speeding offences recorded in 30mph limits between 1 January 2026 and 31 March 2026.
Q5. Where held in a readily retrievable format, the highest recorded speed detected in a 20mph limit, and separately in a 30mph limit, during the period 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2026.
Q6. Where held in a readily retrievable format, the top three roads or locations within your force area with the highest number of speeding offences recorded in 20mph limits, and separately in 30mph limits, across the full period requested.
Q7. Where held in a readily retrievable format, the total number of offences in 20mph limits, and separately in 30mph limits, by outcome, including:
a. Fixed Penalty Notices
b. Speed awareness courses
c. Prosecutions or court summons
Response:
Extent of Searches to Locate Information
Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police to locate relevant information.
Decision
I am not obliged to provide you with a response to your request pursuant to Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please note that when one part of your request falls under Section 12, we are not obliged to review the rest of the questions and the whole request is therefore exempt.
Section 12(1) applies to your request as the cost of complying with your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of identifying and retrieving any relevant information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Due to the nature of our recording systems the information requested, if held, is not in an easily retrievable format. Our information retrieval process generally relies on a computer ran report which captures any information recorded upon the surface of a record or within specified fields. Where relevant information is held deeper in the record, or outside of a specified field, a manual assessment is required to retrieve that information.
In order to retrieve the requested information, it would be necessary to manually review all speeding offences recorded within the timeframe specified to establish the highest recorded speed. This manual process would mean reading through thousands of reports which would exceed the time limit allowed under the Act.
Unfortunately, we do not process any speeding offences in a 20mph so would not have any information on this.
Pursuant to Section 17(5) of the Freedom of Information Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice.
Pursuant to Section 16 of the Act I am required to offer you advice and assistance with regarding to refining your request to within the ‘appropriate limit’ (time/cost limit). However, due to the information provided above I am unable to suggest how you may refine your request and still receive the information within the cost threshold. If you wish to discuss this please do not hesitate to contact me.
However, as a gesture of goodwill, all information relating to 30mph offences is held on the data log that is accessible to the public. This can be found on the below link:
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.