Thousands of drivers issued £100 fine this week after not realising road rules have changed

More than 10,000 motorists were slapped with fines on Tuesday after being caught out by new rules.

Drivers in Gloucestershire were hit with instant penalties, with a staggering 13,000 prosecuted for speeding through the A417 Missing Link roadworks.

National Highways issued a stark warning that lives could be lost on the A417 unless drivers slow down and adhere to the 40mph speed limit in place due to the ongoing roadworks.

Celine Acard, Senior Project Manager for National Highways, emphasised: "Safety is our number one priority. Tens of thousands of people use these sections of the A417 every day but for the sake of shaving an extra minute or two off their journey times some drivers are putting their own safety and the safety of our roadworkers at risk.

"Our staff and contractors are working around the clock to complete this project as quickly as possible, and they're entitled to do that safely without the threat of being maimed or killed by someone recklessly speeding through the roadworks."

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Deputy PCC and Chair of Gloucestershire's Road Safety Partnership Nick Evans echoed these sentiments, stating: "It may be a cliché, but speed limits are there for a reason; to keep everyone on our roads safe," reports Birmingham Live.

"That's especially important around roadworks, where roadworkers are incredibly vulnerable, and the road is not in its normal state. That is why National Highways have installed cameras along this section while the vitally important and long-awaited works on the Missing Link are completed.

"Too many people are killed and seriously injured on Gloucestershire's roads, which is why the road safety partnership are specifically targeting dangerous behaviours and places on our road network to prevent more families from suffering the heartache of losing a loved one on our roads.

"Personally, I would rather that no-one was caught by these cameras, as it would mean that everyone is driving on this section of road with proper regard for the safety of others.

"So please allow a little more time for your journey and think of the workers by the side of the road who, just like you, have families that are expecting them home."

National Highways says sticking to the 40mph speed limit adds less than a minute to motorists' journeys and saves them the hassle of a £100 fine and three licence penalty points.

Excessive speed plays a role in close to half of the collisions on our roads and crashes are reduced if people drive at speeds that reflect the road environment and weather conditions.