According to the Telegraph, the proposals would see all M1 speed cameras switched on to catch anyone driving over 70mph.

The newspaper said that Olly Martins, the police and crime commissioner for the region, would like to see the scheme in action by April next year.

The scheme could raise £1m a year – preventing the loss of 25 officers.

In response, Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “We have total sympathy with cash-strapped constabularies, but no sympathy with forces explicitly setting out to raise money from cameras.

“We support the proportionate use of cameras for safety reasons but this step would fan the fury of millions of sceptical motorists who already suspect that some of them are only there to raise revenue.”

RAC chief engineer David Bizley added: “For many years RAC research has shown that a majority of motorists regard speed cameras primarily as revenue generators for the police. And it appears that the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner harbours this view too, or at least he is using this as an opportunity to make a very serious point about resourcing.

"Motorists tell us that they would like to see better enforcement and more roads police officers, but enforcement needs to be prioritised in terms of road safety benefits and not in terms of the value of the revenues generated."