Information on a speeding incident
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.25.042366
I note you seek access to the following information:
According to the response from your force, you had two drivers clocked travelling at 163mph – one of the highest recorded incidents in Britain.
Can I please double check for accuracy - that this was indeed a speeding driver and not a camera detecting an emergency services vehicle?
If that was a speeding driver – do you know what happened to the motorist in that instance?
Decision
I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 30(1)(a)(i) – Criminal Investigations
Section 40(2)(3A)(a) – Personal Information
Reason for decision
I note that you are seeking information in relation to a previous FOIA response in which we disclosed that two drivers were recorded speeding at 163mph in the calendar years 2020, and 2022. You have asked us to double check the data for accuracy, and, have also asked us to disclose what happened to the driver(s) if the information was found to be correct.
As you requested, MO10 double checked the data for accuracy, and with reference to the vehicle recorded speeding at 163mph in 2020, I can confirm that this information was accurate. However, we are unable to disclose the outcome of this case (what happened to the driver), as that information is sensitive personal information.
If we were to disclose the outcome of the investigation it has the potention to identify the individual concerned and release sensitive personal information in relation to the individual concerned into the public domain. This would be unfair as no permission has been sought to release this information and the individual concerned would have no expectation that the MPS would release it in response to a FOIA request.
Disclosure would also be unlawful as it would contravene the principles of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). For these reasons the exemptions provided by Section 40(2)(3)(a) of the Act, which relates to personal information, and Section 30(1)(a) of the Act, which relates to investigations, have been appied to refuse disclosure.
Disclosure
Can I please double check for accuracy - that this was indeed a speeding driver and not a camera detecting an emergency services vehicle?
With regard to the second vehicle which has been quoted as also doing 163 mph in the calendar year 2022, please be advised that a careful check of our system showed that this data was erroneously recorded. It was a mistake, and the actual recorded speed should have been 69 mph on a 50-mph road (East Way, Woolwich, SE18).