A growing number of drivers are being caught speeding on smart motorways, new figures suggest.

The report from the BBC finds that 52,516 fixed penalties were issued for speeding on smart motorways last year

An investigation by the BBC’s One Show found that more than 1,000 motorists are caught a week, following the introduction of smart motorways.

The report, due to be broadcast tonight (7 November), found that 52,516 fixed penalties were issued on 11 smart sections last year – up from 2,023 on the same stretches in 2010-11, before they were upgraded to smart motorways. Resultant revenue was up to more than £1.1m, from £150,600 five years ago.

A spokesman for the Department for Transport told the One Show: “Enforcement is a matter for the police and it is clear that speeding costs lives. However, we have been clear for a number of years that speed cameras should not be used to generate revenue.”

Smart motorways have come under the spotlight in recent months, with MPs having been accused of ignoring concerns over the safety of All Lane Running schemes following a Transport Select Committee report.

However, speaking to the One Show about smart motorways, Shaun Pidcock, head of Highways England’s smart motorway network, said they were “the safest motorways on the network”.

He also told the programme: “We have 100% CCTV coverage and we have people watching over them, making sure they’re safe, and we can get people in the traffic office to them far safer and quicker than we can do on normal motorways.”