Thousands of drivers were fined for speeding on the M20 when work on Junction 10 was taking place last year.

The number of people caught speeding in Ashford rocketed from 2,480 in 2006 to 7,609 in 2007.

The Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership (KMSCP) attributes the three-fold increase in the number of speeding motorists to the mobile speed cameras introduced while the Junction 10 roadworks were in place.

The extra 5,000 drivers caught on camera, who faced £60 fines, constitutes £300,000 of extra cash brought in.

The increase in recorded offences was at a time when the rest of the county saw a drop in speeding offences.

Ashford has just one fixed speed camera area, installed five years ago, which is in a mile-long stretch of Hythe Road. About 2,400 drivers a year – or 200 a month or seven people a day – are caught by a combination of this camera and mobile units which are periodically brought into the Ashford area.

The collective fines handed out is almost £150,000 a year.

Full story in this week's Kentish Express