ALMOST 1,400 motorists have been caught speeding in less than two months by new cameras installed on the A1.

Around 25 drivers every day are facing prosecution for breaking the 50mph limit along the 12 mile stretch between Barton and Leeming Bar in North Yorkshire.

The road is being upgraded from dual-carriageway to three-lane motorway and the speed limit has been imposed to protect the workforce.

Figures obtained from North Yorkshire Police revealed 1,392 speeding offences were committed through the A1 roadworks between September 5 and October 30.

Average speed check cameras installed along the 12 mile stretch of the £380m upgrade - due to be completed by 2017 - calculate a vehicle's speed by measuring the time it takes to pass each camera.

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, of North Yorkshire Police, who is also the chairman of “95 Alive”, the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, called on drivers to stick to the speed limit - or face the consequences.

“It is vital that the people who are working on the highways are protected and have a safe environment to work in," he added. "We urge everyone to adhere to the speed limits for everyone’s safety, including their own.”

A spokesman for The Highways Agency, which is coordinating the improvements, said: "As the lane widths are reduced to allow for construction, a reduction in speed is necessary to maintain safety for road users and our workforce."