North Somerset’s only switched-on speed camera has caught fewer people speeding over the past year, despite the South West region being named the worst for speeding offences in the UK.

The number of drivers who have been caught for speeding in New Bristol Road, outside Worle Community School, has decreased by more than 80 per cent.

Between February 2015, when the camera was switched on, and February 2016, 6,110 drivers were caught breaking the 30mph speed limit.

This figure has dropped considerably over the past half a decade, with just over 2,000 drivers being caught between 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.

This year saw an all-time low with only 1,059 drivers being caught since February 11 last year.

North Somerset Council, who owns the camera, found in the past five years only one person had been injured on the stretch of road.

Its spokesman said: “Despite the low accident record on this stretch of road we would urge drivers to stick to the speed limit on this busy route which is heavily used by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.”

However, the RAC Foundation recently revealed people in Avon and Somerset are the most likely to be caught speeding.

Avon and Somerset police detected 199,337 speeding drivers between April 2017 and March 2018 – the highest in England and Wales.

That is a rate of 120 offences per 1,000 people in the area.

Nearly all the infractions were caught by speed cameras, both stationary and mobile devices.

Of the offenders caught by the constabulary, 45 per cent were offered the chance to take a speed awareness course.

While 63,788 drivers were handed a fine in Avon and Somerset.

Eight per cent of drivers faced court action while 29,900 were cancelled.

Worle headteacher, Jacqui Scott, urged drivers to be responsible in an area populated by students.

She added: “We would encourage drivers to take the greatest of care outside the school.

“Speeding is irresponsible at the best of times and close to a school is not good at all.”

Provisional plans agreed by the EU will mean new cars sold in the UK from 2022 will be fitted with default devices which stop drivers breaking the speed limit.

The Department for Transport said the new rules would apply to the UK despite Brexit.