Speed awareness courses in England and Wales generate approximately £9 million annually for UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd), a branch of the Road Safety Trust responsible for managing the program. UKROEd receives about 6 percent of each course fee, while police forces collect the largest share, roughly 52 percent, and the remaining 42 percent is retained by the course providers or local authorities delivering the lessons.
The fees for these courses are determined by the referring police forces as part of contracts with course providers. According to a UKROEd spokesperson, the total charge encompasses three components: the delivery cost of the course, a share for the police force, and an administrative element to cover UKROEd’s management of the national system.
Chief Superintendent Marc Clothier, who oversees operations at the National Roads Policing Coordination Centre, stated that the policing portion is nationally standardized at £50 per course, amounting to approximately £95 million in revenue. He emphasized that the courses serve as an educational alternative to prosecution, aimed at encouraging safer driving habits and reducing the risk posed by speeding and inappropriate speeds under varying road conditions.
Course provision is split among several organizations and local authorities. Trusted Trading and Compliance (TTC) manages 14 of the 44 approved courses in the region, while Drivetech, owned by the AA, runs eight. Local councils oversee most of the other available courses. Pricing varies by area, with the lowest fee found in Cleveland at £82, charged by Hartlepool Borough Council. The highest fees, set at £100, are found in Devon, Cornwall, West Mercia, Humberside, and West Midlands, where local safety partnerships or TTC operate.
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency and the Driving & Vehicle Licensing Agency are not involved in the administration of speed awareness courses. The Department for Transport handles speeding penalties but does not oversee the retraining schemes, a responsibility that falls under the Home Office through the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme.
Motor expert Shahzad Sheikh, who produces content on the Brown Car Guy YouTube channel, criticized the courses as revenue-generating measures, suggesting that motorists are viewed primarily as sources of income. He pointed to the difficulty drivers have in consistently maintaining 20 mph limits and suggested that enforcement efforts encourage more caution against speed traps than genuine driving improvements.
In contrast, Nicholas Lyes, director of policy at IAM RoadSmart, defended the scheme as a valuable educational opportunity funded through fees rather than fines and penalty points. He noted that police forces have discretion in how courses are offered, which accounts for the price differences, but assured that standards of quality across the program remain consistent.