Motorists have been criticised for travelling at "ridiculous speeds" in Kent with 10 people caught doing between 97mph and 141mph.

Police confirmed 49,898 fines were sent out in 2016, out of which 1,122 were stopped by officers at the roadside and 48,776 were automatically captured by cameras.

In 2016 all five of the county’s top speeders, who were given Officer Issued Notices, were stopped around the M20.

Scroll down for audio

The fastest in 2016 was caught travelling at 109mph, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information.

But the road’s fastest speeder over the last five years was recorded in 2013 doing 113mph.

The fastest was caught travelling at 109mph, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

Speeding hotspots around the motorway include the exits for Ashford, Maidstone and Wrotham.

On the other hand the fastest people caught by speed cameras were on the M25 Clockwise junction 5 for Clacket Lane services, where the top speed was 141mph.

Although the number of people caught speeding by cameras and officers has fallen by 5,590 from 2015's figure of 55,488, the statistics show people are still driving at dangerous speeds.

The highest was recorded by a speed camera in 2013 on the M25 clockwise, Swanley, where the driver was travelling at 149mph.

In April KentOnline reported how penalties have increased for those choosing to travel at above the national speed cap.

Motorists can now be fined up to £2,500.

Project and communications officer for the Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership Colin Evans said of the findings: "You'll always get the high end violators who think the rules don't apply to them.

"We spend a lot of time educating drivers. The risk is massive compared to whatever gratification they get at travelling at those ridiculous speeds.

"We're able to offer the opportunity to divert the lower offenders into education.

"The higher end offenders only respond to punitive actions so we leave that to the courts.

"Speed cameras in Kent and across the country are a casualty reduction tool.

"We'd like to think that it's more about the fine. The speed limit is just that, it's a limit not a target.

"The limits are there for a reason and generally speaking the lower the limit you're entering the more risks there are.

"It's very easy to drive very fast what's very difficult is reacting to events that happen very quickly in front of you."

We also recently revealed that 40 people have been sent penalty notices after being snapped by average speed cameras on the Sheppey Crossing.

"The risk is massive compared to whatever gratification they get at travelling at those ridiculous speeds" - Colin Evans

Chief inspector Pete Steenhuis, of Kent Police, said: "Speeding is one of the most important issues that communities want the police to tackle which is why we work with partners on a combination of education and enforcement.

"We worked with Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership and Kent County Council as part of a national road safety campaign to target speeding drivers in April of this year.

"Research shows that 95% of all collisions on Kent’s roads are due to driver error, and speeding increases the chance of death or serious injury significantly.

"Motorists must take responsibility for their actions and drive to the conditions of the road. A speed limit is exactly that, not a target.

"Slowing down could save a life but if drivers choose to speed, the chances are they will be caught and there will be consequences for them."