This is how many motorists have been caught speeding through the Testo's Roundabout roadworks on the A19 so far - and the fastest speed captured

Data released under Freedom of Information laws revealed that 4,664 drivers have been caught speeding since roadworks began on the A19 at Testo’s Roundabout in May last year.

One high-speed driver was clocked going 85mph in their vehicle and received a Fixed Penalty Ticket, along with the other 4,000-plus motorists caught breaking the 40mph limit within the roadworks area.

The Northumbria Police data, which shows the number of speeding drivers caught between Wednesday, May 1, 2019 and Monday, February 17 this year, covers the “northbound Testo's carriageway in its entirety”, from where the roadworks start to where they finish.

This is roughly between the Downhill Lane junction in Sunderland and the Lindisfarne Roundabout turn-off in South Tyneside.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson pledged the force’s dedication to keeping its communities safe in clamping down on motorists who flout the law.

They said: “Speed limits are in place for a reason and speed cameras are just one of the many deterrents we use to ensure motorists are not driving above the limit.

“The presence of a speed camera, whether that is a mobile van or a stationary camera, deters speeding and helps improve road safety across the force area.

“Statistics show that drivers travelling at excess speed is one of the major contributory factors in serious and fatal road traffic collisions and we will continue to actively enforce speed limits across our force area when it is appropriate to do so.”

A major improvements project by Highways England, the roadworks at Testo’s and the Downhill Lane junction will see the existing A19 raised over the roundabout, enabling traffic wishing to continue on the road to drive straight through.

New lanes have already been created on both north and southbound carriageways, creating additional space for work to proceed on building the flyover to house the new road.

The multi-million pound scheme, scheduled to finish in 2021, follows a similar project of works at the Silverlink Roundabout in North Tyneside.