DRIVERS have been warned of the 'devastating' consequences of speeding after more than 8,000 motorists were snapped by cameras in West Oxfordshire last year.

Routes into Chipping Norton, Witney and Woodstock were among the hotspots for breaking the limit in 2018, many of which are popular crossing points for children and families.

This included Ducklington Lane, a 30mph road in Witney, where 800 drivers were caught by police camera vans - more than two every day on average.

Laura Price, county councillor for Witney South and Central, called the statistics 'worrying and disappointing' and called for measures to tackle the problem.

Read also: More than 4,000 drivers caught speeding on this road last year

She said: "This is a road that large numbers of primary and secondary school children cross each day and a vital pedestrian route to and from the town centre.

"Travelling over 30mph has devastating consequences in collisions. I hope that Oxfordshire County Council can work with Thames Valley Police to look at addressing this issue urgently."

Motorists caught speeding in Ducklington Lane comprised almost a quarter of those snapped at 'attended' camera sites - usually police camera vans.

But the 3,249 spotted by officers in vehicles was dwarfed by the 4,800 clocked by West Oxfordshire's non-attended cameras.

The biggest hotspot was the A44 Worcester Road in Chipping Norton, where a camera appears to be facing towards the town - where the speed limit changes from 50 to 30mph.

Read also: The four worst roads for speeding in Oxford last year

A shocking 1,668 drivers were caught on that stretch in 2018 and county council leader, Ian Hudspeth, said drivers must be more careful.

He said: "Sometimes drivers aren't aware when the road goes from a 30 to a 50mph zone. Speed limits are there for a reason and we want to make roads as safe as possible for residents.

"It's the only way to access the town centre from old Woodstock, so it's important people stick to the limit."

The statistics, obtained through a Freedom of Information Request to Thames Valley Police, showed 612 drivers were also caught by mobile vans on Worcester Road, bringing the overall total to almost 2,300.

A camera in Manor Road, Woodstock - Mr Hudspeth's division - snapped 792 drivers where the road becomes 30mph, just after a long 50mph stretch heading towards the town.

Read also: Speedwatch groups deter dangerous drivers

Several villages and towns, including Charlbury, Stonesfield and North Leigh, have set up community speedwatch groups to deter motorists from exceeding the limit.

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County councillor for Hanborough and Minster Lovell, Liam Walker, has worked with some of these groups.

He said: "We have seen through the community speedwatch groups we have set up that sadly it is commonly local people who are familiar with the roads, where the school is, the pedestrian crossings, that might be going just a little bit too fast because they use these roads everyday.

"Clearly more needs to be done to help bring these figures down and to educate drivers more, but I know this is something that the roads safety team - which is part of our fire & rescue service - are doing a lot of work on alongside Thames Valley Police.”

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “We review locations of concern on a regular basis, and that is based on the number of fatal and serious injury collision figures, as well as speeding complaints which we receive from members of the public.

"This information helps to determine where we put our resources.

“We have got static speed cameras and mobile vans deployed at locations across Oxfordshire, as well aspolice officers from Roads Policing and Neighbourhood policing teams supported by the great help from volunteers from our Community Speedwatch programme."

Oxfordshire County Council was approached for comment.