A reckless driver who reached speeds of 120mph on the M6 in the West Midlands got a nasty surprise when he learned he hadn’t got away with his joyride. The Mercedes E-Class driver was probably unaware he was passing an area covered by some of the most active motorway speed cameras in the West Midlands, and likely thought he would get away with doing dangerous speed undetected.
The motorist was snapped by speed cameras between junctions 7 and 8 near Great Barr and is currently facing prosecution over his actions. It happened in July and was the fastest speed recorded on the region’s roads last year and meant the driver was going 50mph above the motorway national speed limit of 70mph.
Details were revealed following a freedom of information request to West Midlands Police on the fastest speeds recorded in 2024. Had the Mercedes driver been aware of the speed cameras between junctions 7 and 8, he might have thought twice about reaching such dangerous speeds.
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They catch thousands of drivers speeding every year and it’s the location where most people get fined for speeding in the West Midlands. Cameras are usually fixed to overhead gantries so will be out of view of most motorists. Those unfamiliar with the are even more unlikely to know where cameras are operating.
Other high speeds recorded on West Midlands roads include a VW Golf driver who was spotted by a police officer doing 110mph at junction 6 of the M6. He was prosecuted over the speeding offence. Elsewhere, an Audi A5 and VW Golf were clocked by speed cameras doing 108mph on the A452 Collector Road, Castle Bromwich, and A45 Coventry Road, Birmingham, respectively.
A BMW I4 was spotted by an officer doing 107mph along Small Heath Highway, while a Volvo S90 was captured at 106mph by speed cameras on the M6 between the M54 exit slip road and junction 10.