A TOP cop has been slammed for urging forces to fine drivers for going one mile per hour over the speed limit.

Drivers’ groups have dismissed the call by West Mercia’s chief constable as a cash grab.

Chief Constable Andy Bangham, whose force covers Herefordshire and Worcestershire, told the Police Federation’s roads policing conference in Hinckley that the practice of only prosecuting drivers who break the speed limit by more than 10 per cent should be stopped.

The lead officer for the National Police Chiefs’ Council on road policing said: “The law is there for a reason. I do not want the public to be surprised, I want them to be embarrassed when they get caught.

“They need to understand the law is set at the limit for a reason. They should not come whingeing to us about getting caught. If booked at 35 or 34 or 33 [in a 30mph zone], that cannot be unfair, because they are breaking the law.”

He called for ministerial backing for a zero tolerance approach to speeding, saying: “I would like to see a more obvious, explicit commitment to this across government.”

But AA president Edmund King dismissed the call, saying: “Surely it is better to educate motorists rather than just slap a fine on them.

“The last thing we want is drivers glued to a speedometer 100 per cent of the time.”