POLICE in the north west are joining forces to urge motorists to stop speeding following the lifting of some travel restrictions by the Government.

A number of incidents of unacceptable speeding have taken place across the region recently due to quieter roads, with some drivers clocking up speeds in excess of 140mph.

Following on from individual speeding enforcement campaigns, Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Merseyside police forces are joining together to urge motorists to slow down.

Superintendent Jo Marshall-Bell, head of Cheshire Police’s Roads and Crime Unit, said: “Officers will be out looking for people speeding in the county.

“They are not doing this for the sake of it, they are doing it to save people’s lives.

“People are quick to say ‘police need to prioritise real issues’, and ‘shouldn’t they focus on real crimes?’.

“I want to stress that people are killed and seriously injured as a result of unnecessary speed, so this is, and quite rightly so, a priority for us.

“It is absolutely crucial we engage with and educate motorists on how to use the roads safely and enforce the law when they are not.

“If you speed in Cheshire, we will take action.”

If prosecuted for speeding, the minimum penalty is a £100 fine and three penalty points.

You could also be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years.

Information on the penalties for speeding can be found at gov.uk/speeding-penalties.