POLICE cameras in North Yorkshire caught speeding or dangerous drivers every nine minutes they were on the road in January, new figures have shown.

The force’s camera vans were active for just over 578.5 hours in January - although no figures were available for January 30 or 31.

In the 34,716 minutes the speed cameras were active, 3,879 offences were logged - the equivalent of one every nine minutes.

Of those clocked, 3,400 were offered speed awareness courses (SACs) - the lowest penalty available - while 439 were fined £100 and issued with three penalty points.

Another 40 were considered “high-end offenders” and summonsed directly to court.

Among the worst hot-spots was the A19 at South Kilvington near Thirsk, which saw 55 SACs and 17 fines issued in 93 minutes on January 28, as well as three court summonses.

And the A61 Leeds Road in Harrogate saw 57 SACs and four fines issued in 90 minutes on January 18

The force’s criminal justice operations manager Andy Tooke, said the traffic bureau team had already had a positive effect in reducing the number of fatalities and casualties on North Yorkshire’s roads, and six new vans would soon be operational.

Mr Tooke said: “These new smaller, more agile vans will provide North Yorkshire Police with greater flexibility to enforce in previously inaccessible locations, such as some of the more rural areas of the county.

"The vans will also be fitted with ANPR capability, meaning they are not only increasing road safety, but also tackling cross border and rural crime.”