A driver ran a red light every four-and-a-half minutes between 2023 and 2025, according to data obtained through a freedom of information request. In total, 26 police forces recorded 351,244 red-light offenses during this three-year period.
Escalating Offenses
The annual number of red-light offenses increased by 37.5 percent between 2023 and 2025. In 2023, 101,184 offenses were recorded, rising to 139,139 in 2025. The first three months of 2026 saw an additional 33,951 offenses, averaging over 377 offenses daily.
Running a red light is a serious traffic offense under Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Convicted drivers face three penalty points and a fine.
Police Force Data
The Metropolitan Police Service recorded more than half of all offenses, with a total of 187,261. Afternoons were identified as the most common time for these violations, accounting for over a third of all recorded offenses.
Outside of London, Nottinghamshire Police recorded the highest number of offenses with 30,532, followed by Leicestershire Constabulary (23,296), Surrey Police (17,779), and Police Scotland (17,232).
Some areas experienced significant percentage increases in offenses. Humberside Police saw a 570.2 percent rise, from 299 offenses in 2023 to 2,004 in 2025. West Mercia Police recorded the second-largest increase at 533.1 percent, rising from 426 to 2,697 offenses during the same period.
Enforcement Technology
Red-light cameras in the UK capture high-resolution images using visible flashes or infrared technology. Older systems, such as Gatso RLC 36 cameras, utilize radar technology and can function as both red-light and speed cameras. More recent additions include digital Truvelo D-Cams, Monitron RedGuard cameras that use piezoelectric sensors, and Vector and Vector-SR cameras, which are two-lane, bi-directional cameras.
Drivers who run a red light typically receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within 14 days. The registered owner must identify the driver within 28 days, after which a Fixed Penalty Notice, usually £100, is issued. Drivers can challenge a NIP if they believe it was issued in error.