More than 4,400 motorists were caught on a trio of speed cameras on main drives between Beccles and Bungay and Norwich, figures show.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by this paper shows 4,446 drivers were flashed by three-speed cameras on the A146 at Loddon and Thurton and on the B1332 at Poringland over a four-and-half-year period.

The Poringland camera - where the limit is 30mph - clocked one motorist at 83mph, almost three times the limit. 

Now calls from Norfolk County Council leader, Kay Mason Billig, have been made for further traffic calming measures, such as roundabouts, and for motorists to have greater awareness of the dangers to help make roads safer.

All data for the cameras is within the timeframe of January 1, 2019, to July 31, 2023.

The busiest of the three cameras was the one at Thurton which had caught a whopping 2,884 drivers exceeding the 40mph speed limit, with the lowest speed recorded over the limit being 46 and the highest at 98mph.

Of the 2,884 drivers to have been flashed for speeding, 90 are still yet to have completed their course, 252 have been prosecuted, 761 paid the fixed penalty, 1,343 drivers completed a speed awareness course and 438 drivers' fines were cancelled.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Thurton speed camera on the A146 by The George and the Dragon PubThe Thurton speed camera on the A146 by The George and the Dragon Pub (Image: Bruno Brown)

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Kay Mason Billig has called for drivers to slow down across the countyKay Mason Billig has called for drivers to slow down across the county (Image: Norfolk County Council)

These high figures do not come as a surprise to Mrs Mason Billig, who had been made aware of the issue by residents at council meetings.

She said: "It is disappointing that despite having the speed camera in Thurton, we continue to see speeding traffic through the village.

"I attend many parish council meetings and local residents tell me they are very worried about this, especially as many school children have to cross the A146 on their way to and from school.

"Speeding on this busy road is a problem in many places, including further towards Norwich at Prospect Place, where residents struggle just to pull out onto the main road."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Loddon speed camera was taken down by Norfolk Police in 2022The Loddon speed camera was taken down by Norfolk Police in 2022 (Image: Google)

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The Loddon speed camera flashed 175 drivers exceeding the 60mph speed limit, with the highest at 95mph.

30 drivers were prosecuted, while 61 completed their course, 40 paid the fixed penalty and 44 fines were cancelled.

This camera however was taken down by Norfolk police in 2022.

This has prompted calls from the county council leader for a new speed camera to be put on the new roundabouts on the A146.

She said: "We do have the new roundabouts at Hales and Loddon and I would like to see one at the Chedgrave junction as well, despite the many improvements we are making.

"We also need motorists to help us by sticking to the speed limit and being mindful of pedestrians and other road users, if we are to improve safety further."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The speed camera on Norwich Road outside of the Framlingham Earl High School in PoringlandThe speed camera on Norwich Road outside of the Framlingham Earl High School in Poringland (Image: Bruno Brown)

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The Poringland camera had flashed 1,387 drivers exceeding the 30mph speed limit, with the highest being 83mph and the lowest being snared at 35mph.

What is alarming is that the camera is positioned exactly outside of Framingham Earl High School and in the heart of a residential area.

The highest speeding driver was nearly three times the speed limit in this 30mph stretch of Norwich Road.

Of the 1,387 drivers caught by this camera, 361 have paid a fixed penalty, 696 have completed a course, 120 have been prosecuted, 155 fines have been cancelled and 55 drivers are yet to have completed their course.

Our Freedom of Information request was made to Norfolk police.