More than 5,000 motorists have been caught exceeding the speed limit outside a Swindon junior school during a year of targeted enforcement operations.
Wiltshire Police confirmed that 5,149 drivers were recorded speeding on Queens Drive near Holy Cross Junior School during 65 separate enforcement sessions carried out over the past 12 months.
The figures, recorded up to 8 May this year, show that 4,503 drivers were offered Speed Awareness Courses, while 570 received fixed penalty notices and points on their licence. A further 76 cases are now progressing through the courts.
Queens Drive was reduced from 40mph to 30mph in 2018, but officers say many motorists continue to ignore the lower limit despite the route passing directly by a primary school.
Police described the six-lane road as effectively operating like a “mini-motorway”, with additional concerns linked to nearby facilities including an ambulance station and a day hub supporting vulnerable and homeless adults.
Officers also reported regularly seeing parents and children attempting to cross all six lanes rather than using nearby pedestrian crossings.
In a statement, Wiltshire Police said the combination of vulnerable pedestrians and speeding traffic creates “a serious and entirely avoidable threat to life”.
The force said it is now working alongside local schools and Swindon Borough Council to improve signage and road safety measures along the route.
Some drivers have reportedly argued that signage is unclear, while certain satellite navigation systems still incorrectly display the road as a 40mph limit.
Police stressed that motorists should rely on road signs rather than sat-nav systems when determining speed limits.
A civilian Speed Enforcement Officer with Wiltshire Police said the operation forms part of wider work tackling the so-called “Fatal 5” causes of serious road collisions — speeding, mobile phone use, drink and drug driving, failing to wear seatbelts, and careless driving.
The officer added that road safety enforcement is “not about catching drivers” but about preventing deaths and serious injuries.
“Driving is a privilege, not a right,” the statement said.
“Our priority is to prevent harm, protect children, and ensure that everyone using Queens Drive can do so safely.”
