PCC plea to keep motoring fines cash in region

Speeding drivers across the West Midlands have paid more than £250,000 in fines over four months, prompting fresh calls for such cash to be spent in the region.

Simon Foster, the police and crime commissioner overseeing the West Midlands force area, said a total of £287,950 collected through motoring offences had been sent to the Treasury so far this year.

He said he would continue to campaign for the money to be reinvested in local policing instead of going to central government. It was, he added, "essential" that revenue generated from road-related penalty fines was retained within the region where the offence was committed.

The government has been contacted for comment.

Mr Foster said the money would be better used in improving road safety in the West Midlands to help achieve targets of eliminating death and serious injuries by 2040.

West Midlands Police collected more than £2m through motoring offences in 2024, passing it on to the Treasury.

"This year, a similar story is already emerging," said Mr Foster, Labour.

Of the £287,950 collected through fixed penalty notices and sent to the Treasury in 2025, a total of £252,600 related to fines collected from speeding drivers and £35,350 collected for non-speed-related motoring offences.

"This money should not be going to central government," Mr Foster stated.

"It can be invested in preventing and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads, due to people driving at unlawful, excessive, careless, dangerous and reckless speeds."

He said the money could also pay for the expansion of the average speed camera network and additional enforcement measures, buying more mobile police speed camera vans or new speed enforcement devices.

"We need the government to step up and back our commitment," he said.

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