MOTORISTS have been clocked speeding at up to 140mph in the north west during the coronavirus lockdown.

Now the region’s five police forces have joined together to warn drivers to slow down, and have launched a two-week crackdown.

The campaign, coordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, begins today, Monday.

Superintendent Jo Marshall-Bell, head of Cheshire Police’s roads and crime unit, said: “Officers will be out over the next two weeks looking for people speeding in the county.

“They are not doing this for the sake of it, they are doing it to save people’s lives.

“People are quick to say ‘police need to prioritise real issues’ and ‘shouldn’t they focus on real crimes?’.

“I want to stress that people are killed and seriously injured as a result of unnecessary speed, so this is, and quite rightly so, a priority for us.

“It is absolutely crucial we engage with and educate motorists on how to use the roads safely and enforce the law when they are not.

“If you speed in Cheshire, we will take action.”

If prosecuted for speeding, the minimum penalty is a £100 fine and three penalty points.

You could also be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years.