Motorists WILL be fined for driving above 70mph on 'smart' M1 - 24-hours-a-day

Traffic cops have warned Sheffield motorists that they will be issued with fines for travelling above the 70mph limit on the new smart M1, 24-hours-a-day.

The fines can be issued even where there is no variable speed limit in place on the motorway as police warn they are intent on 'catching speeders'.

The M1 in Sheffield, between junctions 32 and 35A, was officially converted into a 'smart' motorway in March last year, following months several of engineering. The work created an extra lane on the motorway by utilising hard shoulder being for traffic.

Traffic flow on the smart motorway is controlled by overhead gantries which change speed from the national limit down to 30mph if there's traffic ahead.

Highways England says the changes will reduce delays on the 18-mile stretch of motorway, which is used by more than 110,000 vehicles each day.

Darren Roberts, manager of the Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST) for Derbyshire Police said prosecuting more people will held to stop speeders.

He said: "The cameras are not there to generate money “

The standard fine for being caught speeding is £100 and three points.

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'Stealth' cameras lead to 25 per cent rise in people caught speeding in just one year

25 percent more drivers have been fined on motorways in the last 12 months through the use of unmarked ‘stealth cameras’.

New figures reveal that the number of drivers caught out by the ‘grey cameras’ (Hadecs) have soared, with 112,000 divers given penalty notices or sent to court for offences on the motorway in the last year alone.

The increased use of these ‘smart motorways’ that have variable speed limits, open the hard-shoulder to ease congestion and employ digital speed cameras are considered to be the driving force behind the rise, the Times reported.

Often drivers were caught out for breaking variable limits well below 70mph. Stretches of the M1, M25, M4 and M5 have become the most notorious for catching speeders.

As the use of smart motorways is extended from current levels of around 200 miles to 800 miles over the next ten years, the number of fines is set to rise even more.

Critics have lashed out at the system over the use of the less noticeable cameras in the place of more visible yellow cameras. Highways England, which manages highways and A roads, is reviewing grey cameras and may decide to paint them yellow, the Conservatives have said.

Information obtained by the Times in a recent Freedom of Information request showed that last year, in 24 out of 45 police forces 112,654 motorists were given speeding penalties with a minimum fine of £100 and three points on their licence.

In 2013 88,857 were handed the same penalty, compared with 71,922 in 2012, 78,696 in 2011 and 54,720 in 2010.

Highways England has said automated, smart motorways smooth traffic flow and speed up journeys. It added that the majority of drivers stick to speed limits and all cameras are sign posted.

Police forces themselves have the power to decide if they will use the cameras to enforce penalties.

Police in Somerset caught 23,086 motorists speeding in 2014 – a dramatic increase on the 756 that were caught one year earlier.

The rise was attributed to tougher measures taken on one portion of a smart motorway

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