MORE than 7000 drivers were fined for speeding in the Greater Glasgow police area in the last 12 months.

The fines for the 7182 drivers totalled about £500,000, with the numbers caught increasing over the past decade - but the total number of speeders has halved from the previous 12 months.

The figures, obtained under a Freedom Of Information request, show a relatively steady increase since 2004-2005, before almost doubling in the financial years 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, then dropping back down in 2013-14.

Inspector Craig Linton, of the Glasgow divisional road policing unit, said police were committed to reducing casualties and improving safety on roads across the police area, which covers 215 square miles and includes Glasgow, and parts of East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire.

Inspector Linton said community officers had been trained to use speed guns about two years ago and were sent out with them when speeding was identified as a problem in a particular area.

He said: "Every October and April, officers survey communities to find out what the priorities of local people are.

"Fifteen of the 19 Glasgow wards identified road safety, and specifically mentioned speeding, so it is clearly an issue for people."

The inspector said hotspot areas for speeding varied but, generally, roads carrying larger volumes of traffic - such as the M8, M77 and M74 - could be affected.

He added: "Other roads can be those that have more than one carriageway, such as Great Western Road, and people assume the speed limit is higher.

"Great Western Road has seen a lot of serious crashes."

He pointed out the money generated by the fines - which have recently risen to £100 - did not go to Police Scotland but directly to the Treasury, and said officers did not have quotas to fill in terms of issuing tickets.

One of the police's main road safety priorities is making drivers aware of pedestrians, particularly older people, and the need to slow down. Two people have died from road crashes in the city this year - both pedestrians, one in his 50s and one in his 60s.

victoria.brenan@ eveningtimes.co.uk