MORE than 100 cars were caught speeding outside West Mercia Police’s headquarters - days after the chief constable called for an end to the 10 per cent speed limit buffer.

A speed trap put in place by the Sunday Times caught 117 cars in an hour breaking the 30mph speed limit outside Hindlip Hall in Worcester.

Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, the National Police Chiefs Council lead on road policing, made national headlines last week after reportedly saying there should be an end to the 10 per cent "buffer" over the limit.

One car outside Hindlip Hall, a black BMW estate, was travelling at 51mph. About one in four of the cars were travelling at between 31 and 35mph, and 14 cars at 40mph or faster.

Current guidance suggests police forces should only issue penalties for drivers caught at 10 per cent plus 2mph over the limit - 35mph in a 30mph zone, for example.

In a statement, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said: "On average five people are killed a day and 66 seriously injured every day in road traffic collisions. I want to reduce those horrific numbers.

“I am not calling for officers to pursue drivers for being one mile per hour over the speed limit - this was a misrepresentation of my comments, as it is neither proportionate or achievable.

“Instead, we will always prioritise action against those driving most dangerously.

“But I want drivers to understand the limit is there for a reason.

“It is a limit, not a target, and they should not assume there is a free pass at any level over the limit.

“The driver behaviour the newspaper has recorded close to our headquarters highlights the issue I was raising, showing many people now routinely drive just above the speed limit, which we need to challenge and change.”

The trap was set in a 30mph zone along Hurst Lane and Blackpole Road.

Visitors who turn out of the estate from its west entrance face a 40mph limit which then turns into a 30mph zone.

Drivers were clocked at least 100 metres into the 30mph limit.