SHOCKING figures show the thousands being caught speeding on a busy Herefordshire A-road every year. 

Data released by West Mercia Police in response to a freedom of information request shows that a total of 15,058 speeders have been caught in just one spot on the A40 in Herefordshire between 2018 and 2022.

Speed camera vans are a regular sight for drivers using the A40 between Ross-on-Wye and Wales, and the figures show their presence has only become more frequent over the years. 

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In 2018, the van was sent to the 50 miles per hour stretch at Pencraig just 40 times, rising to 48 in 2019 before falling to 35 in 2020, during which time car use also fell dramatically due to Covid lockdown restrictions.

But the force more than made up for the lower number of deployments in 2020 by more than doubling them in 2021 to 83, while the van was sent to the area on 91 occasions in 2022.

And the number of speeders caught has soared in recent years too, rising alongside the rise in speed camera van deployments.

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In line with the number of camera van visits, 2,295 speeders were caught in 2018, 2,206 in 2019, 1,232 in 2020, 4,428 in 2021, and 4,897 in 2022.

The force said there had been two crashes involving serious injuries on the A40 at Pencraig since January 1, 2010, and six resulting in slight injuries.

"As non-injury and slight injury collisions do not have to be reported to police there may have been more unreported collisions," the spokesperson said.