A plea has been made to motorists not to put further pressure on the NHS during the coronavirus crisis by causing injury or death as a result of speeding.
The call has been issued by police chiefs in Norfolk ahead of a two-week national speed campaign being launched on Monday (May 25).
Despite the lockdown imposed following the Covid-19 outbreak, there has been a raft of speeding motorists caught in the past few weeks, including a driver who clocked 132mph on the A47 near Norwich following an argument with his partner.
Officers with Norfolk and Suffolk’s Roads and Armed Policing Team (NSRAPT) caught a BMW Z4 car travelling past the A140 junction on the A47.
The driver admitted the speedometer in his car was reading nearly 150mph.
The stop, which happened on April 13, was followed on May 3 by a motorcyclist with a goldfish in his rucksack who was caught doing 125mph on the A47.
It came on the same day another road user was caught travelling at 127mph along the A47 at Norwich, heading towards Great Yarmouth.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the campaign, co-ordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Chief Inspector Kris Barnard, head of the Roads and Armed Policing Team, said: “Recently we have experienced a reduced number of vehicles on our roads but still on occasion have seen a number of drivers choosing to drive at excessive speeds. It is therefore appropriate for us to continue to make our roads safe by targeting those drivers who pose a threat to themselves and others.”
He added: “We are urging road users to think not only about their own safety on the roads, but the safety of others. We also want motorists to be aware of the current demand that we as a county, place on our NHS and try to reduce this by driving in a safe manner.”
Lorne Green, Norfolk’s police and crime commissioner, said: “Now is the time more than ever I would urge you not to put any extra pressure on our NHS colleagues by driving irresponsibly on the county’s roads. Think of others but also remember the life you save may even be your own - don’t end up as a statistic.
The campaign, which aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads across Norfolk and Suffolk, will see increased checks and enforcement across both counties.
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