ore than 7,000 speeding motorists have been clocked going through roadworks on the A14 and the A1 since the beginning of the year - leading to a plea from Cambridgeshire’s police and crime commissioner Jason Ablewhite not to put lives at risk.

Mr Ablewhite has joined forces with Highways England and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership to highlight the dangers of speeding through the major road upgrade scheme on the A14 after 4,500 drivers were caught exceeding the temporary 40mph speed limit in the last six months.

At least 3,000 more speeding tickets were issued on the A1 where traffic management schemes are in place because of the A14 work.

Mr Ablewhite said: "Whilst the majority of drivers obey the speed limits, the few who don't put their own lives and those of road workers at risk. Everyone has somewhere to be and by a certain time, but arriving safely to your destination is better that not arriving at all.

"As police and crime commissioner, I am committed to keeping our roads safe for all road users. Whilst the A14 improvement project is taking place, I am urging all drivers to be patient and to respect road workers so they can do the work they need to do safely. It's simple - drivers need to slow down near roadworks and obey the speed limits and signs."

Mr Ablewhite added: "Where accidents do happen, I am pleased to see that Highways England has allowed extra space for emergency vehicles to get through and would like to thank drivers who pull over to allow blue light colleagues to pass safely."

Highways England said there had been a mass of serious incidents and near misses, with motorists driving in to coned-off areas where employees were working to physical and verbal abuse.

Nationally, there were nearly 300 incidents of incursions and abuse reported by road workers.

A long stretch of the A14 between Huntingdon and the Cambridge area has narrowed lanes and temporary speed limits while the £1.5billion upgrade is being built.

Casualty reduction officer Jon Morris said: "The speed restrictions on these roads are there to protect road workers and road users. To ensure everyone stays safe on these roads it is vital that people do not exceed the speed limit.

"Figures show us there are a number of people out there ignoring the temporary speed limits and I would urge those people to slow down and drive to the conditions of that road."