HERE’S a question: which road attracts the fastest, most dangerous speeders in Gloucestershire?

In 2014, speeders on the A417 around Dartley Bottom were caught driving up to 121mph - more than 50mph over the speed limit.

In fact, the A417 has been privy to the five fastest speeders in Gloucestershire, travelling at 121mph, 120mph, 118mph, 109mph and 108mph.

The four fastest were caught around Dartley Bottom and the fifth fastest around Burford Road Junction.

Britain’s two worst speeders were caught at 146mph, both by Kent Police on the M25, one going clockwise and one anti-clockwise.

But perhaps the most astounding figure was 128mph recorded on London Road, in East Grinstead, a 30mph road - that's 98mph over the speed limit.

There were three other instances of speeds of 140mph or more being recorded; 145mph on the M6 toll road, 141mph on the A1 Great Ponton road and 140mph on the A5 Crick road Drivers caught going more than 45 per cent over the speed limit will generally be banned, for a 70mph road such as the A417 that is usually judged to be 100mph.

The Standard ran a campaign last year to help secure the £250million required to create a bypass around the notorious accident black spot at Netly Bottom on the A417.

The statistics come from a Freedom of Information request made by road safety charity IAM to police forces in England and Wales. IAM asked each police force for the highest recorded incidences of speed caught on safety cameras in 2014, including locations, speed limits and top speed in each case.

Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “It is disheartening to say the least that some road users are showing such disregard for the safety of all other road users – pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other drivers.

“At speeds of 140mph an individual is travelling at nearly two-and-a-half miles a minute. At that speed it is simply impossible to react to anything that might happen in front of you."