More than 40,000 drivers were caught speeding in Devon and Cornwall in one year, new data has revealed.

But the figures are among the lowest in the country, with 98 per cent facing enforcement action.

Devon and Cornwall Police detected 42,888 speeding drivers between April 2017 and March 2018, according to study results released by the RAC Foundation.

That’s a rate of 25 offences per 1,000 people in the area, one of the lowest in England and Wales.

Nearly all the infractions in Devon and Cornwall were captured by speed cameras.

Of those offenders caught, 51 per cent were offered the chance to take speed awareness courses and about 43 per cent were given a fine, compared to an average of 34 per cent for England and Wales.

A further four per cent faced court action, while two per cent were cancelled.

Across England and Wales, police caught 2.3million drivers speeding over the year – a rate of 40 per 1,000.

Avon and Somerset had the highest rate, with 120 drivers per 1,000. Gwent had the lowest, with less than one offence per 1,000.

Provisional plans agreed by the EU mean that new cars sold in the UK from 2022 will have default devices which stop them breaking the speed limit. The Department for Transport said new rules would apply to the UK despite Brexit.