MORE than 300 speeding drivers were caught on the A35 during a major joint operation involving two police forces.

Officers from Dorset, Devon and Cornwall carried out patrols between Honiton and Bridport after Highways England reported that a number of drivers were ignoring speed limits along the stretch of road.

One motorist was clocked travelling at more than 100mph during the seven-and-a-half hour operation.

Another was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs while also having no insurance, MOT, tax or valid licence.

Staff from Dorset Road Safe, the Peninsula Road Safety Partnership (Devon and Cornwall), road casualty reduction officers and the No Excuse teams of both Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police were all involved.

Police used marked and unmarked patrol vehicles along the route, which also included a section of the A30 from Exeter to Honiton.

In total, 319 vehicles were detected speeding during the operation on the A35 and roads leading to it, which included a motorcyclist travelling at 95mph, a car at 103mph and three class restricted vehicles (limited to 60mph) travelling at 90 or 91mph.

In addition, Alliance Roads Policing officers handed fixed penalties to three drivers with expired MOTs, one driver who was not wearing a seatbelt, four who had no insurance and one with no valid driving licence.

Four vehicles were seized and one driver was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs. Another was dealt with for driving whilst disqualified.

Alliance Roads Policing PC Ralph Delbridge, who co-ordinated the operation said: "Our priority is to safeguard the public and the level and number of offences detected on this road indicates that the area justifies our deployment.

"More importantly it sends a clear message to those who break the law and endanger themselves and others by doing so….you will be caught."

In addition to operations such as this, the Alliance Roads Policing Unit and Highways England are working together to explore longer term measures to improve road safety and speed management along the A35 in Devon and Dorset.